Friendship Is a Many Splendored Thing
by MadnessJones
Summary: Blossom feels like her intellect isolates her from everyone else, and finds a kindred spirit in an online friend. This friend, however, is actually one of the bad guys she fights on a regular basis. Can their friendship endure their differing lifestyles, or is Blossom simply being naive? No pairings.
1. Find Yourself, Lose Yourself

_Author's Notes: I recently rediscovered The Powerpuff Girls, a show I really liked as a kid but hadn't watched in years. After rewatching several episodes I remembered why I liked it so much, and then an idea for a fanfic came to me, and I just had to write it down. Just to let you know, this fic will mostly be taking inspiration from the original PPG series. Nothing against the new series, I'm just not very familiar with it. Anyway, thank you to those who are giving this new story a chance. Hopefully it will be a good one. I also hope you will leave a review :)_

* * *

Chapter 1

Find Yourself, Lose Yourself

The city of Townsville. A city full of goodwill and hope for the future. A city full of dreamers and bright shining minds, and one place for those shining minds to flourish and grow is Golden Brooks Middle School.

It was a cloudy morning as the Powerpuff Girls got ready to face another day at school. Bubbles brushed her blonde pigtails and checked her phone for the millionth time to see if any of her numerous friends had called. Buttercup slid her arm over the dresser and let whatever contents were up there fall into her backpack so she could save time. She had basketball practice that day as well as needing to touch base with Mitch about that party he was throwing next weekend. Blossom had trouble choosing between several pink dresses (all identical and neatly pressed) and finally decided to go with the pink one (as opposed to the pink one).

Blossom then meticulously packed each and every item she would need for school in her backpack and checked the mirror to make sure her hair and bow were perfect. They were, so she waited for her sisters to finish getting ready.

"Oh, girls!" The professor hollered up the stairs, "Breakfast is ready!"

"Alright!" Buttercup zipped away in a streak of green light to be the first one to the table.

Bubbles and Blossom followed Buttercup at a slightly slower pace. They knew there would be enough left for them.

Everyone sat at the table and ate their eggs and bacon with orange juice. The professor read the news on his tablet and smoked his pipe while Bubbles and Buttercup raced to see who could eat the fastest and Blossom sat back and watched. Blossom found herself doing that a lot lately; sitting back, watching, noting the behavior of those around her...

The Powerpuff Girls were only 8 years old, but since they started school practically as soon as they were born they were already in middle school. Blossom couldn't help but notice the differences between the Powerpuffs and normal people now. While mentally the girls had no problem keeping up with their peers, physically was a completely different story. The girls hadn't aged at all, and Blossom often wondered if they ever would. After all, they were the first people ever created using Chemical X, so no one really knew how that would affect the aging process or even their life spans. Thoughts of her uncertain mortality often troubled Blossom.

After finishing their breakfast, the girls flew out the open window and toward the direction of the school. Buttercup texted Elmer to see if he had the answers to yesterday's homework so she could quickly scribble the answers before the bell rang. Blossom used to hate it when Buttercup cheated, but now more than anger she just felt puzzlement.

How were Buttercup and Bubbles still so far behind? Blossom mostly went to school because she was a kid and it was the law that she had to get a proper education, but she already knew most of what they taught by now. She didn't even study science and math anymore since it was all locked in her brain. Sometimes she wondered how the rest of her class was so far behind.

The girls made it to school on time like always. Despite their differing attitudes the Powerpuff Girls were still good kids that did their best to obey the rules; even if Buttercup complained the entire time. Bubbles immediately gravitated to a group of her friends by an open locker and Buttercup started talking to her best friend Mitch. Blossom went to first period social studies and sat down with her hands neatly folded in front of her. She was the only one in the room. Not even the teacher was there yet. It was typical for Blossom to arrive first.

For some reason it really struck Blossom today how lonely she was as she stared out the window at the cloudy sky. It wasn't going to rain or anything, but it was still an overcast day.

There were times like this when Blossom would feel isolated due to her routine and her intellect. The only time she could have an intelligent conversation was when she was helping the professor with a project, but she couldn't tell anyone her dad was her best friend. That was lame.

The bell rang, and Blossom was relieved that the other kids and the teacher were filing in. She didn't want to be alone today for some reason, but she didn't know why this feeling was coming upon her now. She was alone every morning, and she was the only gifted kid in school every morning. Nothing had changed, but for some reason today her feelings about this situation had changed.

* * *

Nothing too exciting happened in school for the first few classes, but then Blossom went to fifth period English & Literature, and she got a homework assignment that felt like one of the biggest coincidences of the year.

"Class, over the weekend I'm going to give you a creative writing assignment," The teacher intoned, and a couple troublemaking kids in the back groaned, "Now now, this isn't a boring assignment at all. Over the weekend I want you to write about how you feel when you're alone. It can be any kind of writing. A poem, a short story, an essay, or whatever else your mind conjures up. It can be happy, sad, angsty, thought provoking, etc."

Normally Blossom wasn't a fan of creative writing work. Oh sure, she could do it somewhat, but she didn't much care for artistic stuff. That was more Bubbles' department. This, however, felt different. Blossom was feeling lonely lately, and she did feel the need to express herself, and just like all of life's problems the answer was homework.

...

After school that day Blossom sat at her desk and tried to write something brilliant for her creative writing class. She knew she felt lonely, and she knew how she felt about it, but for some reason she had trouble getting her thoughts down in writing.

"Hm..." Blossom stared at the computer screen and the blinking cursor in hopes of inspiration hitting her like it did writers in the movies, "Okay then..."

She tried typing out her feelings, but it didn't have the flare she was looking for in her work.

 _I Feel Lonely, By Blossom. Today I felt bored and lonely as I sat at my desk at school. I waited for 2.3 minutes for the rest of the class to show up. Again. Loneliness is like a...a..._

"Okay, what is loneliness like?" Blossom asked herself as she stared at her uninspired words, "Loneliness is like a...shoe! That has no partner. Because you need two shoes. Okay, that's not good. At all."

Blossom growled in frustration and lightly bonked her head against the keyboard. She wondered if she could call it modern art if she just banged her head against the keyboard repeatedly and turned in whatever letters appeared on the screen.

 _No, that's not good. That's what Buttercup would do. Think Blossom, think_!

Then she typed again, but the next so-called poem was even worse than the last. She needed to do some research, so she logged into a website where artists submitted their poetry and other original writing content. She hoped that reading a few of these poems would inspire her to stop being lousy.

She narrowed it down to poetry and then typed in the word _lonely_. There were thousands of results and Blossom didn't know which one to pick, but then she saw one poem that had over 2,000 likes that was from a user in Townsville. Maybe this should be where she starts. Blossom clicked on the poem and immediately noticed that it didn't rhyme.

"Wow, way to be a baby about this. Not all poems rhyme, you know that," Blossom chastised herself before continuing to read the poem in its entirety.

 _Lonely But Not Alone_

 _By WildThing-HeartStrings_

 _The thoughts of my mind are a water fountain that I have shattered and stifled with a cork._

 _The silence welcomes those around me, and banishes my thoughts into a dark spacious cavern with no escape or return._

 _If I were to unplug the fountain and allow the sparkling ideas to flow, I would be cast up into the abyss, for my abyss is above me in my wretched state. Nothing is below._

 _My eyes are bloodshot and worn with the reality of the fetid tides of the world around me._

 _I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

 _See the diamonds glistening on the ground, only to pick one up and be cut to the bone by the broken glass that was only an illusion to my hungry soul._

 _I hunger for beauty, I lust for peace within my rotting heart. The fountains of my heart are full of music, laughter, and profound thoughts that I dare not speak lest I be condemned to the damnation of isolation._

 _I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

 _Hear the mocking laughter; the crowd to which I have melded. See the reflection of injustice in the eyes of a helpless widow. Up, up, even down is too good for me._

 _Why must my mouth be silent? Why must my very language be impropriety? If I were to speak my peace I would be shut out forever by the harpies of injustice._

 _What is a friend? What is an enemy? Are these not merely two forms of the same desire, that of attention?_

 _Hear me from the bottom of my well! Seek my fountain, oh merciful dainty ears of beauty! Hear my plaintive cry as I fall into the pit of despair!_

 _I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

Whether the poem was professionally written or not was up for debate, but it struck a chord with Blossom. This poet had captured the feeling of not actually being separated from society and yet feeling like you have no place within it at the same time. That was how Blossom was feeling. Someone actually understood.

Part of her wanted to try to write her assignment now, but another part wanted to know more. She wanted to know how to put her feelings down in a way that others could understand and appreciate. She decided to send a message to WildThing-HeartStrings to see if this person would actually respond.

Blossom checked her messages off and on for about an hour before deciding that the poet probably wouldn't reply that evening. She decided to take a break from her homework and grab some dinner.

After dinner and dishes Blossom went upstairs to prepare for bed. She absentmindedly checked her messages again on her phone and noticed that she had a new message from the poetry website. The poet had responded!

Dear Guest,

 _Oops_ , Blossom thought. _I forgot to make an account..._

Dear Guest,

I am so pleased that you found my poem to be inspiring to you. I do so love it when my work can make a difference for someone else. I mostly just write poetry to relieve stress and vent my frustration in a constructive way. You had asked about my writing process, and honestly I don't really have one. When I'm feeling down and have access to the computer I just sit down and type whatever's on my mind. Tell me friend, what is on your mind? Perhaps telling someone will inspire you to write a poem you can be proud of.

Sincerely,

Wild Thing

Blossom was happy she got a response, but it was admittedly less than helpful. Just sit down and write? She already tried that! Still, this person agreed to help her with her problem, so maybe they could still help, assuming their next bit of advice wasn't just something corny like 'believe in yourself' or 'don't give up'.

Blossom made an account on the poetry site, opened a direct chat, and invited Wild Thing to join her.

...

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello, you must be Guest :P

EverythingNice98: Yeah, that was me. I just can't get the hang of writing down my feelings in a way that doesn't sound redundant. Any advice?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Don't use the same words unless you have to. Let's say you feel sad. The first time you could say _sad_ , but the second time try a different word like _melancholy, rueful,_ or _morose_. There are many shades of sadness, just as there are many shades of all sorts of different emotions. Get it?

EverythingNice98: I think so.

WildThing-HeartStrings: So then, tell me how you feel...

EverythingNice98: I feel like no one understands me when I speak. Like everything I say flys right over their heads!

WildThing-HeartStrings: I totally get that. The only ones that seem to understand me when I talk are my friends, and even then they don't _really_ get it.

EverythingNice98: Exactly! My dad is the only one that understands how it feels to be the nerd in the group. Not even homework makes me feel accomplished anymore. I feel like I'm wasting my time.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You are.

EverythingNice98: What!? What are you talking about?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I mean your intellect doesn't come from a lesson plan or a boring teacher droning on and on. Your personality and your will to learn comes from inside of you. Now, you wanna write a poem? Show me what you've got.

EverythingNice98: Well...okay. _The clouds were grey today. I felt like flying, but I thought it might not be such a good idea. How could I see where I'm going if the clouds are grey?_ You see Wild Thing? This is terrible!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Admittedly it's unpolished, but I kind of like it. You take an absurd concept and give it an even more outlandish thought process, all while making it sound utterly mundane. Try to expand on that.

EverythingNice98: You liked it!? Are you crazy?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Of course I'm crazy. Couldn't you tell? Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Think of it this way, the word _unique_ sounds like the word _eunuch_. I always considered that this might not be an accident. After all, unique and creative individuals are cut off from the rest of society and become entities unto themselves, just like a eunuch.

EverythingNice98: Okay, where did THAT come from?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Exactly. Take your oddest most outlandish thoughts and give them life through your writing. You'll be surprised at what you come up with. Good luck with your homework, and I hope you find what you're looking for through your poetry. I must abscond now, but I do hope to see your words dancing across my screen by the morrow. Farewell...

EverythingNice98: Bye :)

...

Blossom logged off and sighed, wondering if Wild Thing was right about just writing whatever crazy thing came into her mind. She opened her document again, everything already deleted because it stunk. She took a deep breath, and tried to think of what was on her mind. She thought of the homophone Wild Thing spoke about, and suddenly an idea came to her.

 _The Herd That Heard_

 _By Blossom Utonium_

 _The words_ herd _and_ heard _sound the same, and in a way they serve to complement each other. For if someone is not heard, then their own herd cannot be found. Herd in this context refers to a large social grouping such as that of buffalo or cattle. In this case however the cattle refer to my fellow classmates, and I feel that I am not heard. I am lonely, because even when I speak, I am not heard. Therefore, I feel I have no herd, not anymore._

"It's still not good, but it's better," Blossom finally decided as she deleted the poem and turned off her computer.

Blossom heard Bubbles and Buttercup arguing over the TV remote and decided she would just sit in her room and read a book. A book on string theory seemed like the perfect engaging read before bedtime, and she went to bed hoping that the next day she would finally think of what she wanted to say...

* * *

Meanwhile, across Townsville in a condemned house sat five squatters that many in Townsville would recognize all too well as the Gangreen Gang. Most people didn't know the ruffians lived in this area, otherwise they likely would avoid walking the streets near the old worn down house.

A dim light from a retro Windows XP computer lit up the face of the man currently occupied with writing on the direct messaging board of a poetry website to a new friend that called herself EverythingNice98. School kids considered some of the dumbest little things problems, but the green man didn't mind sharing his wisdom with someone that was willing to listen.

"Hey Grubber, get off the computer! It's my turn!" Little Arturo shouted as he poked Grubber in the back of the head, "Come on, man! I wanna play pinball!"

"Pfft!" Grubber replied begrudgingly.

He typed a quick goodbye to his new friend and got up off the floor so Little Arturo could use the computer. With nothing better to do, Grubber checked up on the other gang members to see how they were faring.

Big Billy and Snake were playing cards, which seemed like a waste of time since Big Billy never won (without someone letting him), and Ace was smoking by the broken back window. Overall it was a normal boring night.

Grubber, not knowing what else to do with himself, stood on his head and blew raspberries at the other gang members while swinging his legs back and forth. This earned a passive look from Snake and a questioning stare from Billy.

"Dah...What's Grubber doin'?" Big Billy asked in his slow derpy voice.

"Who caresss?" Snake hissed dismissively, "Who can ever figure out why Grubber doesss what he doesss?"

Grubber then let himself fall over and then while laying on his hunched back he blew a few more successive raspberries. The gang knew to interpret those noises as "Look at me! I'm a beached whale!"

Ace grumbled as he looked out at the starless cloudy night. He stomped out his cigarette on the ground and turned to look at the gang. Arturo's pinball game was loud and it was starting to get on the gang leader's nerves.

Ace loudly whistled and hollered "Listen up!", and immediately all sound stopped and every gang member was standing at attention awaiting Ace's command or announcement.

"That's better," Ace replied in satisfaction, "Yo Snake, how we fixed for food?"

"We ran out yesssterday," Snake replied nervously; knowing keeping track of the food was his job.

" _Terrific_ ," Ace replied sarcastically, "Who's got money?"

Everyone rummaged through their pockets to see what they could find. Ace pulled out a dollar, Snake pulled out three quarters and a button, Arturo pulled out his comb and a nickel, Grubber pulled out a hacky sack and a handful of dead earwigs, and Big Billy pulled out a used wad of gum and more pocket lint than anyone should ever have stuffed in their pockets.

"Okay then," Ace replied in an accepting tone, "Yous guys is lucky I just swiped a gun from some stiff a few days ago."

"Why do we needsss a gun?" Snake asked obliviously.

Ace smacked him in the face like he always did when Snake said something stupid, and Snake rubbed the sore spot on his large reptilian nose.

"We need a gun to rob Malph's, you idiot!" Ace shouted in exasperation, "Unless you like starvin' better?"

"No, no Accce! It'sss a great plan!" Snake quickly replied to avoid his boss's wrath.

With that matter settled, Ace led the group out of their flop house and they started sauntering over to the all-night convenience store to steal as much money and food as they could carry.

Grubber sometimes wondered if this lifestyle would ever end. He was 23 years old now, which wasn't all that old, but it still meant he had spent the past 12 years of his life as a member of the Gangreen Gang. Thinking back on stuff like that made him feel like the prime of his life was already behind him.

He remembered when the gang was something to be feared and loathed. They were young, there were no Powerpuff Girls, and they could do whatever they wanted. Now they had to be quicker, and their scores had to be smaller. It wasn't about having fun and picking on little kids anymore. Now there were rival gangs, supervillains, and superheroes. Now the scores they pulled were mostly for survival and nothing more. His abyss really was above him, because he had hit rock bottom years ago.


	2. Correspondence

_Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who is reading this fic. I always get nervous when writing for a new fandom, no matter how big or small. I don't actually know how long I'll make this story since it's one of those where I find the scenario to be the most interesting part. That being said, I do have the next few chapters outlined. Please review if you'd like to see more of this story, and I hope everyone has a great week :)_

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Chapter 2

Correspondence

Over the weekend Blossom continued to write and rewrite her poem. She wanted it to be absolutely perfect. To be fair, she chronically wanted everything she did to be perfect. It bothered her when she couldn't live up to the 'perfect little girl' moniker she and her sisters had been bestowed at birth. Bubbles and Buttercup were the sweet one and the tough one respectively. Without her intellect and perfectionism, who was she?

It was Sunday night, and she had written one more poem. She didn't know if this one was any good or not, but it was as close as she could get. Wondering what others on the poetry website would think, she posted the poem and hoped it wasn't criticized by too many trolls. She didn't handle criticism well, but at least she was aware of her sensitivity in this regard.

 _The X Factor_

 _By EverythingNice98_

 _If I were a letter I would be the letter X. X is a very special letter that can denote many things, but unfortunately it is mostly discarded in favor of other letters. Z, SH, and even CKS can all perform the job of X and do not intimidate people nearly as much._

 _When I am lonely I feel like the letter X. X marks the spot of treasure, X can replace someone's name; their very identity. X also denotes danger, and cautions others to not enter or touch. X warns people away, and therefore X is alone. I too am alone. I am an X. Chemical X._

Blossom posted the poem and left to watch TV with her sisters. It was Bubbles' turn to pick the channel, and she chose some telenovela about a love triangle and a plot to overthrow a rich family or something like that. Blossom didn't fully understand Spanish, so she only caught every few words. Buttercup complained because she didn't understand anything at all, and after a few minutes she threw up her hands and left to play video games instead.

After watching the show for about 20 minutes Blossom went back upstairs to her computer to see if anyone had reviewed her poem. She only had one review, and it was from a familiar username...

WildThing-HeartStrings: Not a bad first attempt, E.N., unfortunately I would call it more of an analysis than a poem. That's not a bad thing though. If analyzing your feelings and writing them down in a left-minded way is how you deal with them best then I say go for it. I hope to see more work from you, as I admire your unique take on life and the alphabet :P

Blossom was a little discouraged that her poem wasn't actually seen as a poem, but she did like the fact that the idea itself wasn't bad or misunderstood. Her teacher said she could write anything, so maybe be she would turn in her work as an essay. She would need to make it longer for that, but at least now she wasn't working from scratch. Yes, this could work.

Blossom then opened up the direct chat section and invited Wild Thing to join her once again. It only took a few seconds before he showed up.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello E.N., you did great tonight :)

EverythingNice98: Thanks, Wild Thing. I think I'll rewrite it as an essay for my school assignment.

WildThing-HeartStrings: That sounds jolly good. I'll only be able to talk for a few more moments. My friends and I have plans tonight.

EverythingNice98: Yeah, my sister wants me to help her with her math homework...again. It's not going to help her though. She never remembers anything I say.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You have a sister? I always wanted a sister when I was little. When I was a lad I thought girls got free candy at the convenience store just for showing up. Turns out I misunderstood something my dad said about a neighbor lady and old Mr. Whitman. Oh well, it still might've been nice to have a sister. So, do you get along well with your sister?

EverythingNice98: _Sisters_ , actually. I have two. One is a knucklehead and now it's coming back to haunt her since we have a big math test coming up next week. My other sister isn't that stupid, but she spends way too much time with her friends and not enough time studying. They're not even studying now! One's playing Skull Crusher 4 and the other one's watching a No Mas Tiernidad marathon. It's so frustrating sometimes.

WildThing-HeartStrings: My friend loves that show, but he claims he watches it ironically. Frankly I think it's utter trite.

EverythingNice98: You and your friend speak Spanish?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I don't, but the TV has closed captions. My friend is from Mexico but has lived in this country since he was little...well, younger. You'd think someone who is bilingual would be more intelligent, and maybe if he didn't spend so much time primping and combing his hair in front of the broken mirror in the bathroom he would be.

EverythingNice98: How did your friend's mirror break?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I walked in front of it, smiled, and it broke. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: Oh, brother! Well, at least you aren't vain. ;)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Truth be told, it was broken when we got here. I share a house with 4 other guys, and the place is a wreck. On the bright side though, it smells just like mothballs. I like the smell of mothballs. It reminds me of the smell of rat poison.

EverythingNice98: Dude, you are so weird! *gags*

WildThing-HeartStrings: I know, but absurdity keeps life interesting. I'll bet you have all sorts of fascinatingly weird habits :P

EverythingNice98: Not really, though weird things do happen to me a lot. One time I got a haircut that left me nearly bald, and I didn't ever want to come out of my room again, but as it turned out being able to laugh at myself made the situation so much better.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Good show, E.N.! I laugh at myself all the time, but then again I'm hilarious. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! So much for not being vain! XD

WildThing-HeartStrings: Oh dear, my companions require my attention now. I must bid you adieu, but I have truly enjoyed our time together. Do send me an invite to speak again, E.N.

EverythingNice98: I will. Bye :)

* * *

Grubber logged off the poetry website's chat feature and ran over to where Ace had called them. Friday's heist had been little more than robbing a pizza joint of some of their leftover pizzas, and now that food was gone. Big Billy could really put it away. Now they needed more, and it was time to go out for another job.

Ace grabbed his gun and tucked it into his vest. He couldn't actually shoot a gun to save his life and his aim was terrible, but a gun made for a better intimidation weapon than the puny pocket knife he had been using before. Well, truth be told the intimidation came from a cross between the pocket knife and Big Billy being at Ace's command. No one messed with Big Billy except the Powerpuff Girls.

"Alright boys, we're hittin' the new Supermart location tonight," Ace announced.

"B-But, that place isss huge!" Snake replied worriedly, "We could get lossst!"

Ace punched Snake to shut him up and then looked around to see if anyone else was going to protest his plan. No one spoke up, so Ace knew they would go along with whatever he said.

The guys followed Ace as he sauntered out of their hovel and into the enveloping shadows of the night. All they had to do was keep the cashiers and customers from bothering them while they took whatever they wanted and they would be just fine. Ace patted the pocket where his gun was just to be sure it was still there, Snake walked beside his leader like a good little yes-man, Arturo and Grubber raced to see who could catch up to the first two guys, and Big Billy brought up the rear. Even with the Powerpuff Girls in Townsville, the gang still cut an intimidating figure.

* * *

The girls were just finishing dinner and getting ready for their end-of-day activities. Blossom was chowing down on her favorite candy as she finished up her essay, Bubbles was cuddling with her favorite stuffed animals in her big stuffed animal pile near the bed, and Buttercup was brushing her hair before heading out to meet her friends at Mitch's house.

Their peaceful evening was interrupted by a call on the Powerpuff Hotline. Blossom sighed and saved her progress on the computer before answering the phone.

"Yeah? What is it, Mayor?" Blossom asked in her official sounding tone of voice, "The Gangreen Gang is robbing the Supermart? We're on our way!"

Buttercup stopped in her tracks and Bubbles looked up at Blossom while still holding a stuffed goat toy.

"Girls, the Gangreen Gang is at it again. Come on!" Blossom shouted before flying out the window; her sisters in tow.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Supermart, three helpless cashiers were tied up at their registers while the Gangreen Gang harassed customers and took whatever they wanted. Ace watched while his gang took food off of store shelves, scared people, shoplifted valuables, and messed around. It was little moments like this that the gang lived for, because frankly they didn't have much else going for them.

Snake scarfed down a handful of cookies from a box before spitting them out and sticking out his forked tongue in disgust.

" _Yuck_! Thessse cookies ssstink!" Snake exclaimed as he threw the box down, "Anyone know where the good ssstuff isss?"

"Pfft!" Grubber replied as he pointed to the left.

"Good idea. The bakery department," Snake smiled wickedly as he and Grubber walked past a terrified mother and her infant.

Lil' Arturo was in the clothing department trying on the most ridiculous outfits he could find and laughing at every result in the mirror. He put on some fake fangs and a black cape before jumping out and scaring Big Billy.

" _Aah_! A monster!" Billy shouted, but then laughed when he saw it was just Arturo.

"Hey, look at me Billy! I'm Mojo Jojo!" Lil' Arturo shouted gleefully as he ran around flapping the cape up and down, "Look, now I'm a bat! Oh, oh, oh!" Arturo then put on a pair of sunglasses to complete the ensemble, "Now I'm Ace!"

"Not funny!" Ace hollered from the front of the store.

"Okay, how'd he know I did that?" Arturo asked in bafflement as he took off the goofy getup.

"Not so fast, Gangreen Gang!" The Powerpuff Girls suddenly shouted; ruining the nefarious gang's plans (if you can call this a plan).

"Powerpuff Girls!" Ace exclaimed in fright, "Y-You got it all wrong! We were just, uh...RUN!"

The gang split up and made a run for it with whatever stolen food and items they could carry. The girls split up to apprehend the green thugs.

Buttercup went after Snake and Grubber. Snake was wheeling a shopping cart full of snacks, and Grubber was riding in the shopping cart. Buttercup caught up to them in no time and beat the stuffing out of both of them, leaving them in a barely conscious pile just outside the door.

Bubbles gave chase to Big Billy and Lil' Arturo. Arturo was the fastest, so Bubbles chased him around and around the store. Her blue light trail made a perfect circle around the store's aisles as she tried to catch Arturo. Big Billy used that moment to grab some snacks in his shirt and sneak away; a rare brilliant moment for the large gang enforcer.

Bubbles finally got smart and turned around so that she could intercept Lil' Arturo. Arturo was so bent on running away that he didn't even see Bubbles in front of him until he ran straight into her fist! Arturo wobbled in a daze before passing out after only one punch, and Bubbles added him to the pile of Gangreen Gang that Buttercup had started outside.

Blossom, meanwhile, went after Ace. Ace knew there was no way he could fight the pink Powerpuff in a fair fight, so he decided he wasn't going to play fair. He ducked in the toy department and Blossom turned into the aisle to catch up with him, only to see that the gang leader was holding a gun to a little boy's head!

"Back off Powerpuff, or the kid eats it!" Ace growled as he shoved the gun closer to the frightened boy's temple.

"Help me!" The kid cried out in terror.

Blossom used her X-Ray vision to see if Ace was bluffing. Sure enough, there was a full round of ammunition in the weapon, so Ace could do a lot of damage if he so chose.

"Now, back up nice and easy like," Ace instructed as he walked toward her with the hostage, "Once my boys and I are safely away from the store I'll let the kid go. You try anythin' however, and I'll pump him full of lead."

"Those rounds aren't actually made of lead," Blossom pointed out quickly.

"Shaddup," Ace replied flatly; unamused.

Blossom didn't want the child to get hurt, especially over an offense that compared to the likes of Mojo Jojo, Him, and Princess Morbucks seemed relatively minor. She floated away from Ace and the boy, and Ace continued to walk away with the child. The other Powerpuffs saw what was happening and couldn't believe their eyes.

"How do we get that boy back?" Bubbles asked in concern.

"Yeah, and since when did Ace start carrying a gun?" Buttercup asked in confusion, "We gotta do something!"

"What _can_ we do, girls? We can't risk the lives of these people," Blossom pointed out, "We have to let them go."

Outside, Big Billy had taken a shopping cart and loaded it with snacks and the other Gangreen Gang members. Arturo was starting to wake up, and Grubber put a box of popsicles on Arturo's head to keep him from feeling the full impact. Big Billy waited for Ace, and a few minutes later Ace came out of the store holding a small boy in one hand and his pistol in the other.

"What happened, Accce?" Snake asked.

"Figured out the Powerpuffs' weakness," Ace replied smugly, "Come on boys, we'll ditch this kid in the park or somethin'."

"But my mommy's still in there!" The boy protested.

"And that means _what_ to me?" Ace asked with a sadistic smile, and when the boy didn't reply Ace simply said, "Thought so."

The gang left the kid by a bus stop before walking home with their cart full of goodies. It wasn't a great haul, but it would last them for a few days. The Gangreen Gang never seemed to think ahead longer than a few days at a time, and tonight was no exception.


	3. Role Models

_Author's Notes: Well, this story seems to be coming along at a nice pace. Admittedly I'm not a hundred percent sure about the fight scene in this chapter. I feel like it might be too short, but at the same time I couldn't make it longer without sacrificing the over the top cartoony asthetic PPG is so famous for. Oh well, at least the rest of the chapter turned out the way I wanted. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review :)_

* * *

Chapter 3

Role Models

The poetry assignment came and went. Blossom got a B- for her essay, which was a lot lower than she was used to getting but higher than she thought her crummy dissertation would get. She knew she still wasn't getting into the spirit of her creative writing homework however, so she continued to visit the website where she could chat with Wild Thing and learn more about heartfelt writing.

With each new assignment he helped her with her grades improved, but more than that she felt that she had a friend she could share her deepest feelings with that wouldn't judge her for her actions. With Wild Thing she didn't have to be perfect little Blossom the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. With Wild Thing she could just be herself and let off the steam from her day.

Tonight as the two conversed she was telling him about yet another homework assignment she had for her English and Literature class, but for once she wasn't stressed about what to write, because this time she knew just what she wanted to say.

...

WildThing-HeartStrings: You have to write about role models? That sounds kind of juvenile. I thought you said you were in middle school.

EverythingNice98: My classmates are 12 and 13 years old. Trust me, they _are_ juvenile.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! That's funny! Then again, maybe juvenile isn't something you outgrow. My friends and I are pretty juvenile, and we're all old enough to drink without getting hassled by the cops :P

EverythingNice98: Maybe. I'm actually almost finished with my homework. I know exactly who to write about as the kind of person I want to grow up to be like.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Let me guess, your dad?

EverythingNice98: No. Not this time. You live in Townsville right? Do you know who Sarah Bellum is?

WildThing-HeartStrings: The Mayor's hot assistant? I've never met her personally but I'm aware of her work.

EverythingNice98: Well, when I'm an adult I want to be just like her. She's smart, she's beautiful, and she's humble. I've known her for a long time, and she's exactly the kind of woman I want to be like when I grow up :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: You mean you want to work for a man who in a good and just world wouldn't be fit to tie your shoes? Never getting the credit for all of your hard work? Yeah, way to live the dream. *rolls eyes*

EverythingNice98: Don't you see though? That's exactly what makes Ms. Bellum a good role model. She works hard to keep Townsville going, and she doesn't do it for the glory or the fame. She does it because it's the right thing to do and because she knows people need her. That's what I admire about her. Truth is, I have trouble with doing things just to do them. I've always needed validation when I do good, and I tend to brag about my own achievements too much. I'm trying to get better, but it isn't easy. Especially when it seems like I have to do _everything_ for my sisters or nothing will get done!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! I know the feeling. It's alright to want to be appreciated however. That's normal. Especially with two sister to compete with.

EverythingNice98: What about you? Who do you admire?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Me? Sweetie, I'm an adult. I don't need to admire anyone anymore.

EverythingNice98: I know, but what about when you were younger? Did you admire anyone when you were a kid?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Well...I suppose I did. One of my friends, I'll call him Shades, has always had a lot going for him. He's smart and he's tough, but also a lot of fun to be around. When I was a kid I admired how well he spoke to others. He could convince people to do anything and he made it look effortless. I'm not like that. When I try to talk to people it seems like all that comes out is air and spittle. I've always been a weird awkward person, but Shades isn't, and I suppose I admired him for that.

EverythingNice98: I've heard that public speaking is the most common phobia. I've never had that problem, though if I have to give a speech I practice until I memorize it because I don't want to look stupid.

WildThing-HeartStrings: I always look stupid. I'm not worried about that anymore. What I hate though is how few people understand me when I try to talk to them. That's why my friends are so important to me, because they do understand me. I consider you my friend too, and I want you to know I treasure our brief time together. I'm sure you'll get an A+ on your homework :)

EverythingNice98: Aww, thanks! Uh oh, I gotta go now. See ya :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Goodbye, E.N. :P

...

Blossom got off the computer when she heard the Powerpuff Hotline beeping at her again. It seemed like juggling saving Townsville with their normal lives was getting harder and harder for Blossom. Bubbles and Buttercup felt it too, but it seemed like it didn't bother them as much. Bubbles spent less time fighting crime than she used to, and Buttercup spent less time doing anything else. Each one seemed to be making their choice as they aged, but Blossom was pulled between two worlds.

"Yes Mayor, what is it?" Blossom asked hurriedly after answering the phone, "An alien invasion is approaching the earth? We're on it, Mayor!"

Blossom then hung up and ran downstairs to get the others.

"Girls, there are aliens invading Townsville!" Blossom announced, "We've gotta stop them!"

"It better not be those stupid broccoli people again," Buttercup grumbled as she saved her game before getting off the couch.

"Do we _have_ to?" Bubbles whined as she put away her game controller.

"Yes, we have to," Blossom replied firmly with her arms crossed over her chest, "Now let's move out!"

They put on their space suits so they would be ready for their trek into the stars. The girls then flew out the window, shattering the glass because the window was closed. The professor heard the window break and came out of his lab with a broom and dustpan; used to such accidents by this point.

The girls flew up into the sky and after a few seconds of searching with their super-vision saw a fleet of flying saucers heading straight for the earth. Those ships had some really big laser guns attached to them, so obviously the aliens were up to no good. The girls flew up into space and immediately the ships started firing on them.

"Puny earth creatures!" The lead ship taunted them over a special space speaker, "Prepare for the takeover and enslavement of your pathetic peoples! Mwahaha!"

"Oh, brother. That is so lame," Buttercup commented; unamused.

The ship fired its lasers, and the girls turned black from being singed by the heat. They shook off the ash and glared back at the rogue vessel. The lead ship then summoned the other two ships accompanying it, and they fired torpedoes at the girls, who grabbed the projectiles and threw them into the sun.

"Attack pattern Alpha Phi Frozen, go!" Blossom ordered.

Buttercup and Bubbles started attacking the three flying saucers with their laser vision, which seemed to do very little damage to the hulls of the advanced spacecraft. They knew this wouldn't be enough, which was fine, because all they needed to do was get it good and hot. Once the molecules of the ships were more pliable, Blossom used her ice breath to shatter the hulls to pieces; leaving only a few tiny aliens holding onto steering wheels and sitting in detached seats blinking in confusion.

The Powerpuff then beat the daylights out of the aliens before punching them away from the earth and then flying back home to a hero's welcome. It was just another typical day being saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls.

* * *

Grubber went out for a walk by himself when it got dark enough to hide from the fearful eyes of the citizens of Townsville. He would often get up in the night when the gang was sleeping and walk until he got tired again, and tonight was no exception. Nobody ever questioned where he went, mostly because nobody cared.

Grubber walked until he found himself in a part of town that had been evacuated earlier that day when a giant lobster thing attacked. He walked over rubble and down roads with abandoned buildings that were nearly as tall as skyscrapers. It was a common sight in Townsville, but most people didn't walk through the wreckage like Grubber did. He mostly liked to scavenge for leftovers.

He went into a building that was partially gone to see what he could find. He saw that a key was still in the front door, but the door was mostly off its hinges. It was a surreal sight, and he vaguely wondered if the residents of this place had good enough insurance to start over. If they lived in Townsville then the answer was probably yes. It was like living in a hurricane zone that never went out of season. Nights like this Grubber was glad he didn't have a permanent residence since it meant there was nothing to get attached to.

As he stepped over broken furniture and rubble with a grace befitting a man that grew up living in a junkyard he saw a Bubbles doll among the wreckage. He picked it up and pulled the string, and it said "Let's be friends!". Ironic that the girls had destroyed the lobster that had destroyed this family dwelling in the first place. Grubber shrugged and threw the doll away, giving no thought to whatever kids or parents might've lived in this decimated house.

After a few minutes of silently going through debris and pocketing anything shiny or of value Grubber heard a car sputtering on the streets and coming to a stop as the engine gave out. He shook his head in bemusement, wondering what kind of idiot would drive through this part of town.

"No, no, no..." He heard a soft spoken woman's voice mutter as the sound of heels clacking on the pavement echoed through the night, "Don't die on me now. I can't believe this road is still closed. How am I supposed to get home now?"

Grubber continued going about his business for a few more minutes. He normally didn't concern himself with other people unless he and his gang wanted to victimize them for whatever reason. After his chat with E.N., however, he was starting to think about what that young girl had said to him. She had said a good role model does the right thing, even if they aren't appreciated for it. He was trying to be a role model to his new online friend, wasn't he? Would it kill him to do something nice just once in his life?

Wondering where these feelings were coming from but helpless to stop them, Grubber exited the building and went over to see if he could help the motorist. She was sitting in the driver's seat with her legs hanging out the open door. Her face was in her hands and she was crying. Grubber almost turned back, almost walked away, but finally he shook his head and shambled over to see if this motorist would accept his help.

"Pfft!" Grubber blew a raspberry to get her attention, and she removed her hands from her face to look at him.

Admittedly, Grubber couldn't see her face very well. It was mostly covered up in matted red hair, and she was quite tall once she stood up. Quite shapely too. He would've blushed if she hadn't immediately backed away from him and ran to the other side of her car in panic. Typical. They do this every time.

"Pfft!" Grubber called out as he ran after her; trying to tell her he was there to help.

"Stay away from me!" The woman commanded as she scooted further away from the Gangreen Gang member, "I mean it! I'll call the police!"

Grubber didn't have time for this. He knew trying to tell her anything was going to be a waste of time, so instead he simply popped the hood of the car and started looking around.

"What are you doing?" The woman asked suspiciously; still barely avoiding panicking, "What are you doing to my car?"

"Pffpfft!" Grubber replied, though he knew she wouldn't understand him.

He saw that the problem was in the transmission. It would be tough to fix, but Grubber knew a thing or two about cars from all the times the gang had stripped old junk cars to resell their parts for scrap metal. He looked back at the house he just looted, and remembered that he saw some things he could use to jury rig this old clunker into working again, at least for a little while.

"Are...Are you trying to help me?" The woman asked apprehensively.

Grubber nodded, his bulging eyes and protruding tongue wagging with the motion.

"Oh, well, thank you then," The woman replied awkwardly, "Can you fix it?"

Grubber gave her the okay sign with his hand, and while it was hard to tell without seeing her face he got the impression she was smiling. He then ran back into the house to try to find the tools and parts he would need.

The woman, Ms. Bellum, stood beside her car and waited anxiously. She looked around the area several times to make sure no one else was there. She knew the Gangreen Gang tended to travel in a pack most of the time, so she had a hard time believing Grubber was there alone.

She looked up and saw streaks of light going across the sky. It looked like a meteor shower, but Ms. Bellum already knew about the alien invasion and therefore assumed it was the wreckage plummeting to earth. Her guess was confirmed when she saw three streaks of blue, green, and pink light zooming across the night sky. That would be the Powerpuff Girls returning victorious, and the sound of cheers in the distance only confirmed that theory. She wished she could be there to congratulate them too.

Grubber returned with a plastic bag full of mishmash parts and items. Ms. Bellum was still a little frightened of the notorious gang banger, but he didn't seem to want to harm her at the moment. He tinkered around in her car and she silently hoped that he wasn't planting a bomb or something. She knew that wasn't typically the gang's style, but she was also aware that as they grew older their crimes became more severe. Ace had started carrying a gun and taking hostages during their crime sprees now, and it scared Ms. Bellum to think that the Gangreen Gang could escalate to murder at the slightest provocation.

"Pfft!" Grubber blew a raspberry and pointed to the driver's side, indicating he wanted her to try to start the car.

Ms. Bellum got inside and Grubber slammed the hood down and stepped aside just in case this worked. She turned the key and the car sputtered. She had to turn it three more times before the car started in earnest. She sighed in relief and Grubber waved goodbye. She rolled down the window, and Grubber walked closer to her; slightly confused that she wanted to talk.

"Thank you for helping me," Ms. Bellum said gratefully, "I'm going to have to find a new route home for the next few weeks, but this would have been so much worse if you hadn't been here to fix my car. Here."

Grubber was surprised when the lady handed him a fifty dollar bill. Normally he had to steal in order to get that kind of cash, and he didn't quite know what to think as he stared down at the money. Before he could thank her or attempt to return the money the car sped off and she was gone.

Grubber looked down at the bill again, and a smile worked its way across his deformed face. Malph's was probably still open. He could buy a slushie and maybe some chips before bed. Maybe his friend E.N. was onto something with this whole doing good business.


	4. Human Endeavor

_Author's Notes: Hello all. This is just a short chapter, but I think it turned out okay. This little slice of life fic is a rather therapeutic one to write for after a long day, and I can only hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Thank you for tuning in and please review this latest chapter of "Friendship Is a Many Splendored Thing" :)_

* * *

Chapter 4

Human Endeavor

Blossom had just finished reading Wild Thing's latest poem submitted to the website, and she couldn't stop laughing at the goofy descriptions and strange scenarios displayed in the piece. It reminded her of an old Monty Python sketch.

EverythingNice98: I can't believe you actually wrote that! Especially the part about the old woman who doesn't listen to her grandson about making faces and then gets stuck with a face that looks like a belching frog's! LOL!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Yeah, that actually came from personal experience. My dad used to tell me not to make stupid faces at people, and then one day I bulged out my eyes and stuck out my tongue for an entire day. My tongue is still twice the size of what it should be. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: Tell me you're joking! O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: I wish! It could be worse though. Everytime I worry about my appearance I just remember a poem my dear Grandmama told me. "As for beauty I am not a great star, there are other more handsome by far, but my face I don't mind it, because I'm behind it. 'Tis the folks in the front whom I jar." Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! That's a good one! So anyway Wild Thing, I've got this art project I'm working on for school. It's supposed to be a painting or drawing that demonstrate how well the students understand human anatomy. Problem is, it's supposed to be a self portrait, and...well...how do I put this? My anatomy isn't...normal. I'm missing a lot of things normal girls have, and I can't demonstrate my knowledge of human anatomy and draw myself accurately at the same time. I don't know what to do.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Draw a dog instead.

EverythingNice98: What!? How does _that_ help me get a good grade?

WildThing-HeartStrings: It doesn't. You're worried about how others will see you and your work because you look different. You cannot complete the assignment given in a way that will net you a good grade, so you might as well have fun with it and do something that will make you happy.

EverythingNice98: But you don't understand. I always, ALWAYS, get good grades. I can't just fail my art assignment on purpose.

WildThing-HeartStrings: It's either that or try your best and fail anyway. E.N., the point of school is to prepare you for life, yes? Well, in life sometimes there are situations you can't win. You can either lose with grace, let your failures eat away at you and rob you of your joy, or you can pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

EverythingNice98: I...I don't know…

WildThing-HeartStrings: You said it yourself, you always get good grades, right? So, this one failure will not change anything in your life, and you have the opportunity to make a memory that will last forever. I can't tell you exactly how to handle your project, that's up to you, but my suggestion would be to show your classroom just what EverythingNice98 is made of.

EverythingNice98: You know what? You're right. I'm tired of being perfect! I'm tired of trying to pretend I'm normal. I want to do something crazy, something that only I can do. Thank you Wild Thing. You really helped.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Uh oh. Am I going to get sued if you do something stupid? Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! No. I'll let you know how it turns out. Bye!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Ciao, my young illustrious friend :P

* * *

Grubber logged off the site and as soon as he got up Snake took the computer to start reading an ebook he had downloaded a few days prior. E.N.'s messages got Grubber thinking about an activity that might be fun for the gang to do, so he went to Ace's room to tell him his suggestion. He only hoped their boss was in a good mood today.

"Pfft?" Grubber announced himself to Ace, who was applying acne cream to his face and looking in a broken wall mirror.

"Yeah Grubber, what do you want?" Ace asked disinterestedly.

"Pbbfft, pfft, pfffbbt pft," Grubber explained.

"Graffiti, huh? Sounds like somethin' to do," Ace shrugged before putting down the acne pad and putting his shades back on, "You grab the spray cans and I'll get the boys. Tonight we're paintin' the town green."

* * *

Blossom stared at her sketch paper in hopes of thinking of how best to draw what was sure to be the lowest graded yet most fun project of her life. She stared at her nub of an arm and sighed. Even though she tried to be positive like Wild Thing suggested, she still hated her body in that moment. She was tiny, she had no fingers or toes, her eyes and head were huge, and she hadn't grown an inch since the day she was born. It just didn't seem fair.

"Girls, time for dinner!" The professor hollered up the stairs, and Blossom put down her pencil so she could go eat.

The professor had made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with grape juice, and already Buttercup was covered in spaghetti sauce. Bubbles was on her phone like usual, and Buttercup was too focused on her food, so that just left Blossom and the professor to talk.

"So Blossom, how was school today?" The professor asked casually.

Why did they always ask that? When adults don't know what to say to kids, the go-to subject was always 'How was school?'. Blossom normally didn't mind, but tonight she really didn't want to talk about it.

"Fine," She gave her noncommittal answer.

"That's good, honey," The professor glossed over the subject, not picking up on the tone Blossom used, "Work has been pretty good for me too, why just today-"

"No way!" Bubbles shouted into her phone, interrupting the professor's train of thought, "He didn't! Do you have pics? ... Well send them!"

Blossom grumbled under her breath. She loved her sisters, she really did, but they could sometimes get on her nerves; especially on days like this one. How did they not notice that their friends and everything was changing around them and they were being left behind in their perfect-little-girl bodies with their perfect-little-superhero jobs?

"Anyway Blossom, anything interesting happen at school today?" The professor tried to get a dinner conversation started again.

"I have an art assignment on studying and conveying human anatomy," Blossom replied half heartedly.

"Oh, I remember that one," The professor replied sympathetically, "Art was always a tough subject for me. Oh don't get me wrong, I liked to create things, but the teachers always had their own ideas about what was and wasn't art. They just didn't seem to understand that creativity is more organic than merely not messing up a contour or a shadow."

"Gee Professor, I didn't know you were interested in art," Blossom stated curiously.

"Oh I was, but ultimately science was my passion," Professor Utonium told her, "Art was more of a side hobby than anything else. Still, I fondly remember the works I made in my younger days. I especially loved sculpting and pottery. Do you know what you'll draw for your project?"

"I'm supposed to draw myself," Blossom replied, "But I don't want to. It's supposed to be _human_ anatomy, and I'm not sure I qualify as human."

"Honey, what makes you say that?" The professor asked in concern.

"Well look at me," Blossom replied as she held out her arms, "I'm not human. You made us in your lab out of spices and chemicals, and we look like bugs. We don't even have noses or ears! We're not human."

"We're not?" Bubbles asked, stopping mid-text at hearing that proclamation.

"Oh, she's just whining because she doesn't know how to do her project," Buttercup scoffed dismissively, "You know how she gets about her grades and stuff. Blossom is _so_ afraid that everyone will think she's stupid that it freaks her out to fail."

"Buttercup!" The professor reprimanded his daughter.

"It's okay Professor, she's right," Blossom admitted.

"Huh?" Buttercup wasn't sure she heard that correctly.

"It's true. I do care what everyone thinks of me. Sometimes I care too much," Blossom admitted, "I...I'm done with dinner. I'll wash my plate and then head upstairs, okay?"

"Um, sure sweetie, alright," The professor replied uncertainly, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Sure. I think I know what to do for my project now," Blossom told him as she floated away with her plate.

Blossom thought about dumping the leftover spaghetti in the trash, but realizing that it would be wasteful to do so, she ate the rest in the kitchen before doing her dishes and going upstairs. She sighed as she looked at the sketch pad still standing on the easel in the middle of the room. She was tired of playing safe, and she was tired of worrying what the rest of the world thought of her. There was more to Blossom than just being little miss perfect, and she was going to prove it.

* * *

The Gangreen Gang stood around under a bridge with spray cans in hand. There were a few homeless people sitting and laying around several feet away from the gang and near the river there were teenagers smoking and drinking. This parade of hopelessness and broken dreams seemed like the perfect place to find the Gangreen Gang.

Snake had the most talent of the gang members when it came to spray painting. He painted their gang's tag in blue, green, and gold spray paint. With so many new gangs trying to muscle in on Townsville the Gangreen Gang had to be sure to mark their territory whenever they could. After all, they might have to contend with the police and the Powerpuff Girls but there was no way they would allow themselves to be bested by a bunch of nobodies who thought they were hot stuff.

Big Billy of course often missed the point of these trips and rather than tag the wall he would just write something silly like _Graffiti_ or _I Drew This_ or _Hello_. He laughed at his latest 'masterpiece', which simply read _I Didn't Get Caught Painting This Again_. Lil' Arturo saw what Billy had painted and laughed along with him.

Grubber normally just tagged the walls with his own dialect's version of GGG or Gangreen Gang Rulez. This time, however, he craved a bit more artistic liberty, so he painted an elaborate self portrait that sectioned off different parts of him like a side of beef with detailed descriptions of what each part was and why it was wrong. He wrote things like Tongue: Too Long and Knees: Too Knockable. Ace sauntered over and saw what Grubber was doing, and couldn't stop his eyebrow from arching if he tried.

"Yo Grubber, what is that?" Ace asked as he pointed to the nearly finished art, "You normally ain't this...uh, I guess the word is _self-aware_. What gives?"

"Pfft pffbt," Grubber explained.

"Who's E.N.?" Was the only question Ace could think of after Grubber told Ace about the art project.

"Pbfft, pfft pfft pffbt. Pfft Pbbt," Grubber told Ace everything.

"Haha, you write _poetry_? Hahahahahaha!" Ace laughed heartily, and soon the gang walked over to see what Ace found so funny, "Hey guys, get this! Grubber writes poetry! Hahaha! Apparently he's got the ladies thinkin' he's some deep artistic soul! Hahaha!"

The others started laughing too, and Grubber got mad and shouted "Pfft pfft pfft!" When translated his raspberries meant "E.N.'s a little kid! Stop being a pervert!".

"Ooh, ooh, look at me, my name is Grubber, I have a bleeding heart and a butt of rubber!" Arturo mocked and laughed; ticking Grubber off even more.

" _Pfft_!" Grubber replied angrily as he balled his fists at his sides.

"Hey, hey, calm down Grubber. We're just messin' with ya," Ace replied after managing to calm himself down, "Seriously though, you're doin' this because a little girl had this project for homework. You just graffitied _homework_. Are you nuts?"

"Hey guysss! Copss are coming!" Snake warned everyone.

"Ah, crud. Let's amscray!" Ace shouted; which caused the Gangreen Gang to run past some sleeping bums and out of the bridge's shadow.

Grubber had nearly finished his painting before they had to leave, but he had forgotten to explain what was wrong with his feet. Oh well, next time, he thought.

* * *

The next day at school Blossom was both nervous and excited. It was time for the art projects to be presented in front of the class, and Jimmy was already showing off his self portrait and how he measured the composition of his head. Blossom thought as much of a blowhard as Jimmy was he'd need a truck stop scale to fully measure the size of his head.

"Alright then, up next is...Blossom Utonium," The teacher called for her project, and she gave a wincing smile; hoping she was ready for this.

Blossom stood before the class of mostly bored students, all of them certain this would be another one of Blossom's dry analytical pieces. Blossom took a deep breath and gathered her courage; ready to surprise the students and cement herself as free from her self-induced perfectionist paranoia.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ultimate example of human anatomy," Blossom announced before holding up her drawing to display it before the class.

The teacher gasped, and the students burst into laughter when they saw what Blossom had drawn for her human anatomy composition; a perfectly executed portrait of an angry Mojo Jojo.

"As you can see from the bend of the elbow the joints can only move in two directions," Blossom continued as if she had not just presented a portrait of a monkey to her class, "The shoulders, however, have ball joints that are capable of a wide degree of motion. As you can see from the jawline only the lower jaw is capable of hinged movement since the upper jaw is a part of the rest of the head."

"Blossom Utonium!" The teacher shouted; interrupting her dissertation, "That is _not_ an example of human anatomy!"

"So? Neither am I," Blossom pointed out, "Now, may I continue?"

"No! Take your seat, Ms. Utonium!" The teacher demanded; red in the face from being mocked by who he assumed was his best student.

Blossom did as she was told and took her project back with her to her seat. Students that sat near her whispered that she did a great job and one boy even patted her on the back to congratulate her. Blossom felt awesome after that, because even though she knew she would get a failing grade she had stayed true to herself and didn't let the world's definition of normal define who she was as a person; human or not.


	5. Young Esmeralda

_Author's Notes: This chapter is one reason why I had to up the rating to T. There are mentions of child abuse, but it's brief and played for dramatic irony so it's not an intense scene. I don't know why I keep writing in this particular fic. "Greentown" is probably going to be a better PPG fic than this one, but for some reason I like writing this unlikely friendship story. I guess because it's a character study piece, and I like writing stories that give insight into a character, whether major or minor. So anyway, enough rambling from me. Thank you for reading and please review since I love hearing from all of you :)_

* * *

Chapter 5

Young Esmeralda

Buttercup and Bubbles were worried about Blossom. For the past week or more she had been acting differently. She seemed less concerned about her schoolwork than she had ever been, she was speaking and writing poetry, and she would do weird and random things every now and then. The other girls didn't know how Blossom would react to a given situation, and while she wasn't violent or anything it was still a bit unsettling.

At first Blossom's craziness had been enjoyable for her sisters. The first night they really noticed something was wrong was when the professor had frantically searched the house for his missing gunpowder that he kept in the lab for experiments. Bubbles and Buttercup searched the house looking for the missing gunpowder with the professor, but then when Bubbles went out in the backyard she stopped to look up. There was a beautiful fireworks display just above their house!

"Wow, I didn't think it was the 4th of July already!" Bubbles exclaimed, but then with concernation replied to herself by saying, "Wait, it isn't July. We're still in school. So that means...what does it mean?"

When an explosion went off in the side yard that led to more fireworks a few seconds later Bubbles began to realize where the missing gunpowder went. She flew over and sure enough, Blossom was sitting in the grass setting off homemade fireworks. Buttercup showed up a few seconds later and Blossom looked at them with an innocent questioning expression.

" _You_ stole the professor's gunpowder?" Buttercup asked accusingly.

"It was the missing ingredient," Blossom replied unapologetically, "You wanna set off the next one, Buttercup?"

Buttercup thought for a second, and then smiled conspiratorially as she went for a firework, but Bubbles placed an arm on hers to stop her.

"Blossom, why are you doing this?" Bubbles asked in concern.

"Because we saved the day today," Was Blossom's simple reply.

"But we always save the day," Buttercup pointed out.

"Exactly," Blossom replied, "We always save the day, and yet we never get to celebrate our victories. We save Townsville, we go home, and then we do our homework and go to bed like it's just any other old day. Today we beat up a giant monster and threw him back to monster island. We did something great, and for once I'm not going to sit back and pretend we didn't. I'm going to celebrate the day being safe. So, who wants to light the swirling red pinwheel?"

The other two girls looked at each other with indecision, but then finally it was Buttercup who said "Let's light this candle!"

Buttercup used her laser vision to set off a slew of bright noisy firecrackers in the night sky. There were reds, greens, blues, and yellows. Blossom had wanted pink, but didn't know how to get the right mixture yet, so she settled for those four colors. The finale was a burst of white and red in the shape of hearts within hearts, and the girls marveled at their beauty for the few seconds they lasted.

That had been a cool night, but Blossom's odd behavior didn't end with sneaking around blowing up fireworks behind the professor's back. She was also acting differently during school.

That particular morning the girls had gone to Golden Brooks Middle School for yet another busy day of classes, cliques, and calculus. As they travelled down the hall Jimmy, that snobby kid from Blossom's art and biology classes, noticed them walking his way and smirked in a superior manner.

"Well, if it isn't our city's greatest heroes, Bubbles Buttercup and Blunder," Jimmy greeted them smarmily, "So pinkie, you draw anymore fascinating monkeys lately? Hahah!"

"Hi, Jimmy," Blossom greeted him in a much friendlier manner than usual, and it actually caught him off guard a little, "I'm _so_ glad to see you!"

"You...you are?" Jimmy asked in disbelief.

"Yep!" Blossom replied chipperly.

Then Blossom did something no one saw coming; she licked Jimmy's face! Jimmy screamed in disgust and ran away as the other kids laughed at the ridiculous situation. Blossom smiled smugly and licked her own hand to get the taste of Jimmy off her tongue. Bubbles and Buttercup just stood there in stunned silence; unsure of who this was and what she had done with the real Blossom.

* * *

That night Blossom logged onto her computer to see if she could talk to Wild Thing again. She really wanted to tell him about the Jimmy incident. Ever since she had met Wild Thing it felt like a piece of her was finally set free. Pressure had been building up inside her practically since the day she was born, and now that she was letting go of the things that stressed her out she was breathing easier and flying freer than ever before.

When Blossom logged on she saw that Wild Thing had written a new poem, and she clicked on it to see what her friend was being inspired by lately.

Young Esmeralda

By WildThing-HeartStrings

 _Young Esmeralda locked away in the bell tower_

 _Looking out at the populace living life without her_

 _She is a perfect porcelain doll locked away in her own heart_

 _While I, Quasimodo am a gypsy looking up at her wondering_

 _How did such beauty become a prisoner of life?_

 _How do I get to her, and tell her it's alright?_

 _Dirty, disheveled, I dare not approach_

 _That which has been protected from me and my lot_

 _How did this happen?_

 _Mocked in the streets, I know my lot well_

 _Darkness became to me a familiar womb_

 _Yet here I stand and stare at young Esmeralda_

 _Not a gypsy, oh no, but a priceless treasure_

 _Why did this happen?_

 _I cannot go back to when I didn't see_

 _I cannot close my ears to her plaintive cries_

 _She longs to be free, yet trapped she remains_

 _Her cruel master not one evil being, but many_

 _We are all responsible_

 _We are all to blame_

 _We keep Esmeralda down_

 _We keep her immured_

 _We keep her_

 _We keep_

 _Doing this_

 _Why?_

EverythingNice98: Hey Wild Thing. Are you there? I just read your poem. It sounds like you've had a lot on your mind.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello E.N. :P

EverythingNice98: I finally got back at that Jimmy McPhelon for constantly making fun of me. I licked his cheek. LOL!

WildThing-HeartStrings: I've done that before to people I don't like. Hm, actually, I'm pretty sure I've done that to strangers too :P

EverythingNice98: Eww! You are NOT serious!

WildThing-HeartStrings: I am, E.N., I am. So, what's new with you?

EverythingNice98: Oh, not much. I really liked your poem. What inspired you to write it?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Oh, just a girl I know.

EverythingNice98: Is it someone you have a crush on? ;)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Oh no, nothing like that. I just can't help but feel society tramples on the exceptional and keeps them from reaching their full potential. When it's someone ugly like me they overlook every achievement, but when it is someone beautiful they take a person's gifts for everything they are worth and leave nothing behind for the individual's personal expression.

EverythingNice98: I know what that's like. Sometimes it feels like everything I try to do is for nothing. I've gotten good grades and done everything as perfectly as possible for my whole life, and just recently I found myself asking why. Most kids do it to go to college and get a good job, but I feel like I'm going to be doing the same job for the rest of life, and it doesn't require much brain power, so why bother trying so hard? All I need for my job is my body and my strength. I just feel like everything I've tried to achieve is pointless.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You have a job? I thought you were like 12 or 13.

EverythingNice98: Actually, I'm 8 years old.

WildThing-HeartStrings: 8!? Wow, you are a true prodigy! Such deep complex thoughts and talents at your age...you remind me of a young me :P

EverythingNice98: LOL! Very funny!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Seriously though, not for nothing but you have a job at your age? There are laws against child labor. Unless...Tell me the truth E.N...are you being... _forced_ to do something you don't want to do? You can tell me, I won't judge you.

It felt like the time between Grubber sending out that message and the response took forever. He didn't know if his little friend would even understand what he was implying to her, but he hoped against all hope that it wasn't true. Grubber was very much acquainted with the seedier side of Townsville, and if he found out E.N.'s family was secretly exploiting her then he would find them and show them what kind of damage a member of the Gangreen Gang could really do.

EverythingNice98: Well Wild Thing, can you keep a secret?

Oh god, it was true. Grubber pulled on his extended bloodshot eyes in sheer panic. His poor young friend was being trafficked! He took a deep breath, deciding that he had to play it cool. He had after all said that he wouldn't judge her, and he needed her to trust him right now. Once he had more information then he would kill whoever had been hurting his new friend and bring her back to the gang. He didn't really have a plan beyond that.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Of course E.N., I can keep a secret.

EverythingNice98: Well, I'm not an ordinary little girl. I'm actually one of the Powerpuff Girls. Since you live in Townsville I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I didn't want to say anything because people treat me differently when they know I'm a superhero.

Grubber's jaw hit the floor. Well, at least he wasn't dealing with a trafficked minor, but this still wasn't good news. His new online friend was one of the little brats that had been beating him and his friends up for the past 8 years. He hated those girls, yet he had formed a bond with E.N.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You don't say.

What else could he say? His image of a misunderstood genius had been shattered to be replaced by the punches and kicks of one of those superpowered mutants. Then again, did it really change anything? She hadn't actually lied to him about anything. She was still the same kid that had insecurities, school problems, family issues, and a brilliant yet naive mind. She was still E.N.

EverythingNice98: Yeah, I know it's weird. My real name is Blossom, and I'm the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. You see, that's my dilemma. I'm a superhero, and I'll probably always be a superhero, so my career path is already set for me. Why am I trying so hard to get perfect grades and please everyone when I'm just going to end up protecting Townsville for the rest of my life? Heck, I'll probably be old and grey and still fighting off Mojo Jojo's great great grandson. So what's the use?

WildThing-HeartStrings: You don't have to fight crime for the rest of your life. In fact, why do you still fight crime at all? It's been 8 years of trying to save Townsville and yet lookee here, there's still crime! You have two sisters. Just pawn Townsville off on one of them and live your life.

EverythingNice98: I couldn't do that. Buttercup would end up killing the bad guys without me. She doesn't know her own strength and she never thinks things through. It's exhausting just trying to keep her in line, and that's not even counting Bubbles!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Yes, admittedly I do understand what that's like. I also have a friend that isn't the brightest bulb in the box and is also really strong. He's a nice guy, but he's too suggestible. I must admit I feel a little protective of him, but there's only so much I can do to keep the outside world out. Life is too hard to pretend with people.

EverythingNice98: I bet your friend never stank so bad she had to be run out of town by an angry mob :(

WildThing-HeartStrings: I don't know if the mob was _angry_ or not, but we all used to stink pretty bad. We've since managed to locate running water and a shower, though I still refuse to get in. I mean, I've grown rather attached to the fungus on my feet :P

EverythingNice98: Eww! Why do you always do that? XD

WildThing-HeartStrings: Because I can. You'll find that's my reasoning behind most of what I do :P

EverythingNice98: LOL! I'm just glad you don't hate me for keeping this a secret from you. Well, I got to go now. My sister wants my help with her geometry homework. Bye :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Goodbye, E.N.

Grubber logged off the computer with a heavy heart. She was glad he didn't hate her, huh? _Did_ he hate her? That was a puzzler. No matter how angry Grubber tried to be about this situation, he just couldn't muster the rage necessary to not want to be friends with E.N. anymore. He looked forward to the times when they chatted, and he had been so worried when he thought she was in trouble. He couldn't just throw those feelings away, even if he wanted to. Besides, anger wasn't really his thing anyway.

He sat in the corner and watched a roach crawl across the floor. He liked to watch bugs crawl around before he killed them. Sometimes if the bug was entertaining enough he spared it, but he mostly killed them. It gave him a feeling of wonder coupled with a feeling of power over another life. He liked that feeling.

A few minutes later Lil' Arturo came bounding in through the front door with a smug smile that told Grubber he would probably have to find something else to do tonight. He decided to spare this particular roach in the hopes it would scare away their apparent incoming 'guest'.

"Hey guys, I need you to amscray!" Arturo announced in an authoritative tone he normally wouldn't use when Ace was home, which he was.

"Hey Arturo, what's your problem?" Ace asked snidely.

"Come on muchachos, get out!" Arturo replied more insistently, "I got a girl coming over in a few minutes, and I need the house clear."

"When you sssay a girl...?" Snake inquired with raised eyebrows.

"No, she's not a hooker," Arturo huffed defensively, "I met her at a club tonight, and she digs the bad boy type. That being said, you guys are cramping my style! Leave!"

"Pfft!" Translated as "You don't _have_ a style!"

"Yes I do, now go!" Arturo snapped as he tried to physically shoo Grubber out of the corner.

"Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a wad," Ace diffused the situation, "We're goin'. Just keep your floosy outta my bed. I just got a new sheet."

"It'sss a coat," Snake corrected Ace, which earned him a punch to the nose from his leader, again.

"Alright then fellas, we're goin' to the Midnight Lounge for a few beers," Ace announced as he headed for the door; expecting his gang to follow him.

"Dah, but Billy ain't allowed back in dere," Big Billy whined, "Officer said Billy ain't allowed to drink anymore."

"Since when do we listen to the cops?" Ace asked Billy derisively.

"But booze hurts Billy's head!" Billy continued to complain.

"Pfftbt!" Grubber interjected.

"Eh, alright fine," Ace conceded, "You take Billy somewhere and Snake and I will go to the Midnight Lounge and get hammered. Yous two better be back here by Wednesday though. I can't have yous wanderin' off again."

"Pfft!" Grubber promised.

...

Grubber didn't know where he and Billy were going to go, but they couldn't stay there. They both just started walking in a random direction and kept going in hopes of finding something to do for kicks. After a few minutes of silence however, Grubber found that for once he actually had something to say.

"Pfft?" Grubber asked tentatively.

"Dah, what about the Powerpuff Girls?" Billy asked in confusion.

"Pfft Pffbt Pfft?" Grubber explained apprehensively.

"Blossom?" Billy repeated, "She's the meanest Powerpuff Girl. Big Billy no like Blossom. Why?"

"Pfft," Translated as, "No reason."

They continued walking in silence as the conundrum danced around in Grubber's mind. As often as they encountered the Powerpuff Girls, Grubber had to admit that he didn't really know them very well. He knew Buttercup liked violence and the color green (which got her into trouble a few years back with the gang), he knew Bubbles had an annoying voice and favored a sonic scream attack (no relation), and that Blossom...

Blossom was close to her father, and her sisters often annoyed her. She was a perfectionist and an overachiever. She liked poetry, but wasn't very good at it. She just wanted to be a kid, but felt like she would let everyone down if she was. She wanted to grow up to be like Ms. Bellum. She was a young woman with a lot of questions about life and a hatred of her body and circumstances she was able to cleverly hide behind a veneer of self-importance. She was also Grubber's friend.

Grubber realized that he knew a lot about Blossom. An awful lot. Enough to use against her if he so desired. Oddly enough though that thought didn't comfort him. He realized that he needed to delete his internet history more often lest the gang find out about his friendship with Blossom. He knew Ace would want to use Blossom's trust in Grubber to hurt her, and Grubber didn't want that. He would have to keep his friendship with Blossom a secret.

"Grubber?" Big Billy pulled him out of his thoughts, "Can we go to Malph's? Billy wants candy and soda. Oh, and bandages! We're out in the bathroom."

"Pfft," Grubber replied agreeably.

They changed direction toward the convenient store, knowing they were about to rob it again. Grubber just hoped the Powerpuff Girls didn't show up this time, for more reasons than one.


	6. Homeland Security

_Author's Notes: I'm happy with how this chapter turned out, because stuff actually happens. Yay! This is kind of a dramatic intense chapter, and I hope you guys will enjoy it. Also, I saw a couple days ago on YouTube (I know I'm the last to know) that the animated band Gorillaz are using PPG's own Ace as their new band member. I have to admit, it makes me laugh every time to see that, yet for some reason also makes me happy. It's cool to see a PPG character in something that older audiences can consider cool :)_

 _Also: This is my first fic that has it's own fanart. I drew a picture for this fic on my Deviantart account, which has the same username as my FF account, so check it out if you feel like it :)_

* * *

Chapter 6

Homeland Security

EverythingNice98: So Wild Thing, have you always lived in Townsville?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Actually, no. When I was a lad I grew up on the Isle of Man. We just call it Mann most of the time though. It was a decent enough place to grow up, I suppose. Lots of grass.

EverythingNice98: Sounds exciting... *rolls eyes*

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! Right... One thing about it though, I know most people think their country has the best flag, but seriously, Isle of Man has the coolest flag. It's a crotch with three perpetually kicking knight legs! Nobody can top that, I assure you :P

EverythingNice98: I just looked it up. That looks really weird O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: I know. Isn't it beautiful?

EverythingNice98: LOL! So, why did you move to Townsville?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I came here with my father and grandmama when I was 7 years old. My dad was a journalist and was writing a book about the most crime infested cities in the world. At the time Townsville was America's armpit, so we flew across the pond so he could see it for himself. Grandmama came so that someone would be around to look after me. Fat lot of good that did.

EverythingNice98: I guess I forget sometimes that Townsville was a different place before my sisters and I were born. So why did you decide to stay in Townsville?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I didn't. Not really. It's a difficult story to retell. Please understand that what I am about to tell you is something I've never really discussed with anyone outside of my normal friend group, and I hope you won't think less of me for this.

EverythingNice98: Oh, I won't. Is it something bad?

WildThing-HeartStrings: In many ways, dear Blossom. You see, two months after we came to Townsville my dad was interviewing a drug trafficker for his book when there was a raid on the building they were in. The police and the drug gang started shooting at each other, and my dad was caught in the crossfire. He didn't survive. My grandmama and I stayed to make final arrangements for my dad and had planned on leaving the country afterward. That all changed when Grandmama took sick that winter and caught pneumonia. She didn't last long. I was only 8 years old by then, and I didn't really know the procedures for dealing with this sort of thing, so I stayed in the house for a while with her body. When I couldn't stand it anymore, I took whatever money I could find in her purse and then I ventured forth into the cold unforgiving streets of Townsville. I suppose technically I'm an illegal immigrant, though that seems to be the least of my worries at this point in my life.

Blossom couldn't believe what she was reading. In fact, she wondered briefly if Wild Thing was just making it up. It sounded too sad to be real. She thought about what it would be like to go to a new country with the professor only to have him ripped away from her and have no superpowers to fly away from the horrible place that took him. She thought about what it would be like to have no one to turn to, not even her sisters or her friends. How would she survive? How did _he_ survive?

EverythingNice98: Wild Thing, I am so sorry that happened to you. I wish I had been alive back then to stop the bad guys and save your dad :'(

WildThing-HeartStrings: It wouldn't have mattered. The police were there, and he still died. In fact they might've been the ones that killed him. I don't know. It doesn't really matter anymore. At least I always have the memory of a family that loved me. I know a couple of my friends that don't even have that. Shades was bounced around from one foster home after another until he just up and left. Another friend, I'll call him Thin Lizzie, was beaten by his father every other day and then thrown out of the house when he turned 12. He still has confidence issues. It's a rough world out there, Blossom. I suppose it's worse for some than for others. I hope you never have to know what it's really like out there.

EverythingNice98: Wow, I guess I know where your beautiful poetry comes from now. It's from a deep and tortured soul.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! Don't call me that! It makes me sound like I'm in a boy band! XP

EverythingNice98: LOL! Oh, I gotta go! The hotline's ringing. See you later, Wild Thing :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: See ya :P

Blossom picked up the Powerpuff hotline to see what the Mayor needed this time. He informed her that the water tower had just collapsed and a huge tidal wave was coming toward the town. He also urged her to please hurry.

Knowing there was no time to call her sisters to assist her, Blossom took off on her own. Fortunately Buttercup heard the hotline as well and followed her out to save the day. Bubbles heard, but she was in the middle of a very important call involving one of her friends that had a crush on a boy from a different school. She had to keep her priorities straight, after all.

The two Powerpuffs made it to the edge of Townsville in time to see panicking townspeople screaming and running away from the mass of water (as if that would really help). This was old hat for the Powerpuff Girls however, so they knew exactly how to handle this situation.

Blossom used her ice breath to stop the water, and Buttercup grabbed the broken water tower so they could collect the ice. The girls punched the ice into chips that then fit back inside the tower's drum. The girls then used their laser vision to melt the metal to fill the hole, and then flew it back to where it was before and soldered the support beams together with their laser eyes.

With their mission complete, the town cheered and they soaked up the attention of another day saved. Buttercup never got tired of the adoration and the action, and Blossom likewise craved the validation. For once though, Blossom found herself scanning the crowd. She knew it was a lost cause, but part of her wanted to see Wild Thing in person just to put a face to the mysterious man she had befriended. She knew he was from an island between Britain and Ireland, she knew he was an orphan that had lived a rough life, and she knew he was a gifted poet with a penchant for the weird and disgusting. She pictured him looking like Ringo Starr for some reason.

"Hey Blossom, you got anymore of those fireworks at home?" Buttercup whispered even as the reporters took their picture for the news.

"No, sorry. I used them all," Blossom whispered in return, "Hey, do you see anybody here that looks like they're from Mann?"

"From who?" Buttercup asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Blossom sighed; giving up on searching for her online friend.

The girls flew home satisfied with another job well done. They prevented a flood and didn't have to listen to Bubbles gossip on the phone for a few minutes. And so once again, the day was saved, thanks to The Powerpuff Girls.

* * *

That night Grubber found himself out for another one of his insomniac walks. For some reason he was feeling nostalgic that night, most likely because of his talk with Blossom. He was still surprised at himself for telling a Powerpuff Girl his life story, but he did leave out some of the more unsavory parts so at least he still had some dignity. Well, maybe dignity was the wrong word for it...

As Grubber walked through Townsville he found himself in front of the city dump. It was the first real home he had ever had since losing his family. This was where the Gangreen Gang was formed, and despite not living in their now destroyed clubhouse anymore Grubber still had a certain fondness for the place.

He hopped the gate and wandered around among the trash and piles of junk. There was new garbage, but beyond that it hadn't really changed all that much. There was still old cars, mattresses, rusty food cans, and various different items that could give a person tetanus if they weren't careful. Grubber sat down and smiled as he looked around at the fetid piles of refuse. Even the smell was nostalgic for him.

Grubber didn't know how long he stayed in the dump, but he was finally starting to feel sleepy, so he decided he had to walk back home before the gang noticed he was gone. They had to be more cautious lately due to rival gangs trying to take them out. Since the Gangreen Gang frequently stood up to the Powerpuff Girls and had been around for so long to tell the tale they were considered the toughest gang in Townsville. Because of that, many newer gangs would try to make a name for themselves by attacking them.

Grubber trudged slowly along the sidewalk, already feeling like he just wanted to flop down where he stood and go to sleep. The street lights shined down on empty streets and parked cars. Grubber lazily walked by a few cars and licked them out of habit, but he wasn't really feeling much like making any serious trouble that night.

As Grubber approached an auto body repair shop he noticed out of the corner of his eye a shadow running past. He got the feeling he was being watched, but he didn't know if it was someone hiding from him out of fear or someone waiting to ambush him. Either way Grubber did not slow or quicken his pace. He didn't want whoever it was to know he knew they were there.

A few more lazy steps revealed two more shadows. Grubber counted three so far, and considering they all seemed to be rushing around near the open garage of the shop he figured it was an ambush. This was a bad time to be separated from the rest of the gang.

He turned the corner and then turned around, knowing they would most likely choose this moment to try and jump him. He was ready though. He was used to fighting and he often fought dirty.

Just as predicted, a muscular young man wielding a knife tried to sneak up behind him, only to see the grotesque face of Grubber staring back at him. Grubber jumped on the potential assailant and bit him in the face! The man screamed, causing his friends to rush to his aid. Grubber jumped off the man and assumed a primal looking fighting stance as he bared what few teeth he had left at them and then blew a challenging raspberry.

"You had _one job_ , Kyle!" Another gang member yelled at the first one that had been bitten, "How hard is it to attack _one guy_?"

"He's a Gangreen, man!" 'Kyle' yelled defensively, "They're all messed up! You can't surprise them and they'll attack anybody!"

"Hey, at least it's not the big one," A third guy remarked.

Grubber didn't feel like waiting for them to attack again, but he also felt that he would lose if he tried to fight all three at once, so he took his chances and ran away. The gangbangers noticed this and immediately gave chase, and Grubber knew that he couldn't keep the pace up for long. His spine was in terrible shape and it therefore made him unable to maintain speed for long distances.

He was too far away from the Gangreen Gang's hideout to call on his friends, and he could hear the other gang's footsteps getting closer. He needed a plan and quickly! Then, off in the distance, he saw a pay phone. It was a long shot, but it was his best chance. He ran up the library's ramp and hopped down hoping the other gang would think he kept running straight. He ducked into the pay phone booth just as the thugs ran up the ramp. Grubber kept low and held his breath while he waited to see if they would take the bait and leave.

"We know you're around here somewhere, ya green punk!" The second member shouted threateningly.

"Yeah, we're gonna rip you to shreds!" The third one hollered despite the late hour of the night, "Nobody messes with the Taser Blades!"

Grubber bit his tongue to keep his breathing quiet. The three thugs were walking around the peremeter. They didn't know where he was, but they weren't moving on completely. They knew he was hiding somewhere. They went into a nearby alley to check for him, and Grubber decided to take a chance on a last ditch desperate idea. He picked up the phone, put in a couple quarters, and dialed.

* * *

The Powerpuff hotline blared over the quiet of the dark and tranquil room. Blossom didn't want to get up. She looked at the clock and saw it was 1:30 AM. She groaned, but knew the Mayor wouldn't call for no reason. Still, it was a school night.

"Buttercup, could you get the hotline?" Blossom asked groggily.

"Seriously?" Buttercup grumbled from under the covers.

"Please?" Blossom moaned sleepily.

"Oh, alright, but you owe me," Buttercup groused as she floated over to the buzzing red and white phone, "Hello, what is it?"

"Bwah! Powerpuff Girls! This is the Mayor. There's a gang of hoodlums trashing the town! They're on the corner of Maple St and Broadway. Hurry!"

The phone then clicked loudly, indicating that the Mayor hung up. Buttercup growled irritably and crossed her arms. She had to get up for a stupid street gang? When she did find them they were going to be in so much trouble...

* * *

Grubber hung up and ducked his head further into the phone booth. He just hoped his Mayor impersonation was good enough to fool Buttercup. Then again, if his memory was correct she was actually fairly gullible.

"Hey guys, I think I saw his foot in the phone booth!" One of the gang members shouted.

Oh crud, those creeps had spotted him! Grubber knew if they caught him in a confined space he was done for, so he decided to face the music and jump out of the phone booth. Just as predicted, when he came out all three of them were waiting for him.

"Pfft!" Grubber cursed at them, though they didn't know exactly what he said.

"Rush him!" The gang's apparent leader commanded.

The three lowlives tried to tackle and grab at Grubber, but he propelled himself over their shoulders in what honestly looked more like a game of Leap Frog with an actual frog than a fight. Grubber landed on the concrete and turned back around to face them; his body too tired to run but his adrenaline high enough to keep him fighting.

The biggest guy of the group, a muscular young man in a yellow shirt, took a swing at Grubber and Grubber ducked. As he ducked however another guy in a red shirt pulled him forward and then pushed him hard to the ground. This situation reminded Grubber of getting arrested as the guy pushed his face hard into the concrete and straddled him to keep him in place. Grubber felt hands in his pants and turned his head to give them a quizzically critical look.

"Crap! This punk doesn't have any pockets!" The pants-shover lamented, "That means he ain't got no wallet!"

In truth Grubber kept his money under his tongue with the rest of his valuable, but they didn't need to know that. Grubber struggled to get up, but that just led to a second Taser Blade climbing on top of him. All he could do was helplessly lay there as two rivals sat on him and a third grabbed a pipe and started beating his legs. Grubber tried kicking at him, but none of his kicks hit. After a while the blows hurt so bad that Grubber just stopped moving in hopes they would stop sooner out of boredom.

It was getting harder for the green hunchback to breathe with two teenagers on top of him, and he was pretty sure at this point his legs were broken. It reminded him of that time Bubbles threw him against a wall. No, not the first time, but that other time when he was mugging an old lady. Yeah, now that Grubber thought about it, the Powerpuff Girls had thrown him against a lot of walls over the years.

Finally, Grubber heard a sound like a buzzing fly mixed with a sonic boom and the weight was suddenly lifted off of him. He ventured a peek and smiled in relief when he saw Buttercup was holding the two attackers in the air and spinning them around like rag dolls. The third one was running away, but there didn't seem to be any other Powerpuff Girls around to catch him.

While Buttercup was still holding the two gangsters she used her laser vision to blast a hole in the sidewalk in front of the running crook. He fell into the hole and Buttercup roughly threw the other two guys into the hole with him. She then flew down and beat the stuffing out of them like she always did in these situation. Grubber had never been so overjoyed to see a Powerpuff Girl.

Buttercup, finished with her crime fighting, decided to fly over to check on the victim they had been assaulting when she got there. She flew up to the crumpled up man laying on the ground, and noticed that he was bleeding in several places.

"Oh man, we need to get you to a hospital," Buttercup commented as she bent down to get a closer look at him, "Don't worry, the gangsters were taken care of. You'll be safe at the Townsville hospita- _Grubber_!? Don't tell me I just broke up a stupid turf war!?"

Grubber smiled languidly at her and blew a raspberry. Buttercup scowled at him but that didn't wipe the smug smile off that pelican-jowled face. Buttercup thought about hitting him to make him stop smiling, but he was already in pretty bad shape. Beating him up now might kill him.

"So, where's the rest of the gang?" Buttercup asked accusingly, "Did they leave you behind when things got ugly?"

Grubber blew a raspberry in reply to tell her he came alone, but of course she didn't actually understand him. Only his gang had ever bothered to learn his secret language. Well, his gang and his family. Grubber's smile fell then. That was the second time that night he had been forced to think about his family.

Buttercup grabbed Grubber and threw him into the hole with the beaten up thugs. He should have known. She was blaming him for this as much as them and he was going to go to jail with them. Oh well, better jail than the morgue, he thought ruefully. He pretended he was out cold so the Taser Blades wouldn't attack him again when Buttercup left.

Before long the police showed up to collect the criminals that had been left beaten and bloody by Buttercup and each other. Grubber could have defended himself if he wanted to, but he had trouble speaking to people face to face. He could speak to people on the phone because he wasn't using his real voice and he didn't have to look at them. He could also speak to children because he wasn't afraid of them. Police, however, left him tongue-tied, so to speak.

* * *

It had been over a week since Blossom had been able to contact Wild Thing. He stopped replying to all of her messages, and all sorts of thoughts and questions filled her head regarding the reason why.

Part of her thought he didn't like her anymore. For whatever reason he had stopped liking her and didn't want to talk to her ever again, so he wasn't responding to his messages so he wouldn't have to deal with her. She hoped that wasn't true, but part of her couldn't help but question it.

Then she thought maybe another user had annoyed Wild Thing and he stopped going onto the site altogether. After all, the world didn't revolve around her. Maybe this had absolutely nothing to do with her. If that was true though, then why didn't he contact her about the situation? Maybe she just wasn't that important to him.

Another worrisome thought was that maybe he had died. He could've been a cancer patient for all she knew, and now he was dead from his cancer. Maybe he got hit by a car, or his plane crashed, or he was in one of those buildings that got attacked by the last monster that invaded Townsville. Maybe he was murdered by a stalker internet troll.

Blossom didn't know how to find out what really happened. She didn't know who Wild Thing really was, so she didn't know how else to contact him. She didn't even have a private email address; only his username on the poetry site.

Blossom continued to live her daily life as if everything was fine, but in the back of her mind Wild Thing's unknown whereabouts still troubled her. She wondered if she had said something to offend him. She wondered if his computer broke. She wondered if he was in a hospital somewhere.

The girls and the professor noticed Blossom's mood and tried to cheer her up. Bubbles tried to get Blossom to hang out with her and her friends. Buttercup told her to snap out of it. The professor tried asking what was wrong, but Blossom didn't think he would understand so she said nothing. She wouldn't talk to her family about the situation because she feared they would think it was stupid and not worth worrying about. It was important to her though. Her best friend wasn't talking to her.

It was three weeks later before Blossom saw anything of Wild Thing. He had posted a new poem on the site.

Break Me Down

By WildThing-HeartStrings

 _See me crawling in my box_

 _See me quiver in the rain_

 _See my stare in the depths of silence_

 _Break me down into what you see_

 _Hear the pounding of my heart_

 _Hear the rain drops on the ground_

 _Hear the white noise where my mouth once was_

 _Break me down into what I should be_

 _Feel the wrinkles in my hands_

 _Feel the hotness of my breath_

 _Feel my blood between your fingers_

 _Break me down because you can_

 _Smell the sewage in the town_

 _Smell my rotting flesh and bowels_

 _Smell the exhaust as cars draw near_

 _Break me down and keep me here_

 _Taste the power that you hold_

 _Taste the asphalt in my mouth_

 _Taste the rain as it declares your win_

 _Break me down_

 _Break me down again_

EverythingNice98: Wild Thing! Where have you _been_!?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Jail.

EverythingNice98: Jail!? Why were you in jail? What did you do?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Nothing...This time :P

EverythingNice98: Really? Are you sure?

WildThing-HeartStrings: It was a simple misunderstanding. I reported a crime and was accidentally assumed to be associated with the perpetrators. I would have told them sooner, but medical care is free for prisoners and I was in desperate need after being jumped.

EverythingNice98: Jumped? You were mugged!? O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: More or less. Listen Blossom, you don't need to worry. Nothing permanent happened to me, and I'm here now. Don't cry, dear Blossom.

EverythingNice98: How did you know I was crying? :'(

WildThing-HeartStrings: Because I know you. You hide your feelings behind a veneer of authority, but deep down you are a sensitive and empathetic young lady. If you want to know who did this, however, I will tell you. It was three unruly gentlemen that belonged to that hotshot new gang called the Taser Blades. I didn't catch their names at the time, but I do know they love to go for the legs (and the wallet). :P

EverythingNice98: I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Don't worry though, I'm on the case.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Thank you, Blossom. You are truly a dear friend.

EverythingNice98: Oh, and Wild Thing? I turned 9 last week :)


	7. Chemical Reaction

_Author's Notes: Hello, everyone! Where to start? First of all, I'm sorry it's been two months since I last updated this fic, and I also apologize for not posting as frequently on FF. I've had a lot of other projects going on, and while I still want to update my stories whenever I can I simply haven't had the time for it lately. These things come in waves though, so maybe soon I'll be able to update a lot of stories. I'm already working on a couple story updates including new chapters of "Fan-Turbotastic" and "Prisoners of Pride". I also want to work on my TF stories, but it's hard to pin down just one to sit down and write. Anyway, thank you to everyone who is following this PPG fic, and I hope you enjoy this chapter of "Friendship is a Many Splendored Thing" :)_

* * *

Chapter 7

Chemical Reaction

Bubbles and Buttercup didn't know what had gotten into Blossom lately, but she seemed determined to find the hideout of a street gang known as the Taser Blades. It seemed beneath the Powerpuff Girls to go after a low-level annoyance like the Taser Blades, but for some reason Blossom was pursuing them like a dog hunting down an escaped convict, which technically they were.

She went to a dive bar and asked if anyone had seen the good for nothing rogues, and surprisingly the burly bikers and muscular miscreants were quite nice and accommodating. Apparently even lowlives appreciated it that the Powerpuff Girls frequently saved the day for the citizens of Townsville.

Blossom had learned from one of the patrons that a Taser Blade gangster named Mike "Havoc" Jermaine frequented the docks to pick up shipments of illicit contraband and shoot the breeze with the sailors. Blossom started flying in the direction of the docks to find this guy and make him tell her where the others were located. No one hurt her friends and got away with it, and she wanted Wild Thing to be able to sleep at night without fear of these hooligans.

Just as Blossom was approaching the pier her cell phone rang, and when she saw the number was her house she picked it up.

"Hello?" Blossom replied as politely as she could despite her impatience.

"Hey Blossom, you won't guess who showed up to our house," Buttercup replied; a disbelieving edge to her tone.

"Not now, Buttercup. I'm busy," Blossom dismissed; uninterested in their mystery guest.

"It's Brick," Buttercup told her, and Blossom stopped dead in her tracks.

Brick, the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys. That was the last answer Blossom had been expecting. The Rowdyruff Boys had left Townsville three years ago without warning and the girls hadn't seen them since. The boys were a threat when they took their fights with the girls seriously, but most of the time all they cared about was messing around and causing mayhem and destruction. Blossom couldn't exactly say she missed them.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Blossom asked guardedly.

"Yeah, he did," Buttercup replied; her tone surprisingly subdued for the boisterous Powerpuff, "Blossom, I think you should come back home. You...you've gotta see this. You won't believe it."

Did Buttercup sound scared? Cautious? What was that tone Blossom was hearing? Whatever it was it didn't sound good, and Blossom knew it must be serious to shake up someone as strong as Buttercup. Sighing, Blossom turned around and headed home, forgetting her former mission for the moment.

* * *

Ace had gone off alone to shoplift at a convenient store and snag some lunch for the other members of the gang. The cashier most likely knew Ace was stealing their stuff, but only a fool would be crazy enough to confront the leader of the Gangreen Gang over something so petty. As Ace left the store he stopped at the automatic doors, turned back to the frightened cashier, and smirked to show off his intimidating fangs. He still relished that feeling of power, even after so long.

Meanwhile the other four members waited at the condemned house with twitchy limbs and empty stomachs. Big Billy would whine every few minutes that he was hungry, and the others would try to calm him down as best they could. Billy pulled on his orange beard that he had grown in the past few years and tried to find some leftover candy that might've got stuck in there. No such luck. He would just have to wait.

Grubber couldn't help but watch the big brute. In many regards Grubber pitied the gentle yet powerful oaf, but there was one area where he was actually a little envious of Billy. Grubber, for whatever reason, couldn't grow facial hair. It was likely due to the subspecies of subhuman he was, but he wasn't able to grow hair anywhere but on his head. He didn't even have armpit hair, which was a shame because he enjoyed grossing people out any way he could.

Finally, after waiting for over an hour, Ace returned home with his jacket pockets lined with treats. Billy cheered and wrapped their leader in a crushing hug, and when the overgrown man-child let go Ace handed him a bag of chips and a soda. He then distributed various food items to the other three gangsters.

Grubber gratefully took the package of snowball cakes and the soda. Snake grabbed some beef jerky and soda, and Arturo grabbed chips and the one cup of hot coffee Ace had brought with him. Arturo loved coffee, and for whatever reason Ace treated him better than the other three. Probably because he was the fastest with a knife when they got into street fights.

"Hey guys," Ace called for attention, and everybody stopped eating to look at him, "While I was out I also snagged some CDs for everyone."

CDs, while primitive compared to downloading music, were easier to steal. Truth was in many ways the Gangreen Gang despite their young age were virtually trapped in the past due to having to either steal stuff or root around in the trash to find things. That meant they couldn't stream things and relied on more archaic methods of consuming media. Either way the gang was excited, because it wasn't typical for Ace to give them presents.

"Snake, I snagged you Tupac Shakur," Ace said with a smile as he handed his right hand man the classic disc.

"Yesss! Thanksss, Accce," Snake replied eagerly as he took the CD and held it out to look at it admiringly.

"And this one is for Arturo," Ace continued as he handed a CD to Lil' Arturo.

"Toby Keith!?" Arturo snapped angrily as he looked at the country album and then glared up at Ace.

"Hah hah, just kiddin'," Ace chuckled before handing him another CD.

"Enrique Iglesias? That's worse!" Arturo shouted even more furiously, "I don't wanna listen to no sissy songs!"

Ace was doubled over now laughing, before he took that CD as well and handed Arturo his actual gift.

"Weird Al Yankovic. Much better," Arturo nodded in approval.

"Weird Al? Ssseriously?" Snake asked critically.

"Shut up, man! Weird Al's a genius!" Arturo snapped defensively as he held his CD closer to him.

"Oh boy! _Oh boy_ oh boy! What did Billy get?" Big Billy asked excitedly as he jumped up and down; causing the room to shake.

"I got you Blarney The Sea Serpent Movie Soundtrack," Ace replied as he handed Billy the kiddie CD, "I can't believe they still sell this thing. That movie came out like ten years ago."

"Yay! Blarney!" Billy cheered as he grabbed the CD and hugged Ace again.

Ace was really starting to get tired of Billy hugging him, but he was the one gang member that Ace couldn't bully into stopping. Once Billy finally let Ace down the gang's leader gave Grubber his CD. It was excerpts from the opera Pagliacci. Grubber blew a raspberry in thanks and went off to find his CD player.

Grubber could say a lot of things about Ace, not all of them flattering. He knew his leader could be demanding, abrasive, manipulative, and abusive. One thing Grubber appreciated about Ace though was that he didn't care that his friends didn't think exactly like him or that they all had different interests and tastes. Arturo could be mischievous, Snake could try too hard to be cool, Grubber could like sophisticated things while actively mocking a civilized lifestyle, and Billy could be childish and naive. It didn't matter. They were united by the unforgiving hand the world had dealt them and they were also united in their pursuit of fun and power.

* * *

Blossom returned home to see Bubbles crying on the couch and Buttercup trying to comfort her. Blossom had expected to see Brick right away, but the only sign of him was muddy footprints on the formerly clean blue carpet.

"Alright girls, where's Brick?" Blossom asked immediately.

That question only made Bubbles cry louder for some reason. Blossom was starting to feel kind of weirded out by this strange reaction. What was going on?

"He's down in the lab with the professor," Buttercup replied, much calmer than her blue-clad sister, "Blossom, he looks terrible."

"So what else is new?" Blossom tried to joke, but the solemn look Buttercup gave her said that she was serious, "Wait, what happened?"

"It's science mumbo jumbo. The professor will be able to explain it better," Buttercup dodged the question, "Just be prepared, Blossom. It ain't pretty."

Blossom was worried about what she would see down there, but she was curious enough to override her sense of trepidation and venture forth downstairs. She floated down quietly to see if she could get a handle on the situation before she spoke to the professor. What she saw sent chills down her spine.

Brick was in a containment field, likely so he couldn't hurt the professor if something went wrong. His entire body had broken out into pustules and rashes. Several places were oozing black liquid. His eyes, while already naturally red, looked swollen and bloodshot. His clothes and hat were covered in the strange black puss. He was still awake, and he was moaning in pain.

Blossom gasped, and the professor turned around to look at her. His gaze was sympathetic and sad. He knew Blossom would be disgusted by the sight of Brick's pitiful condition, but there was something else in his look Blossom couldn't quite place.

"Professor, what _happened_ to him?" Blossom asked in shock.

"Well, from what I've been able to gather through running tests on the young man," The professor replied with the warm professionalism of a doctor, "The Chemical X in his bloodstream is breaking down. You see Blossom, the Chemical X Mojo Jojo used to create the Rowdyruff Boys was impure, and because of this it breaks down much more quickly than unadulterated Chemical X."

"Butch..." Brick rasped despite how painful it clearly was for him to speak, "...Boomer. They're sick too. What do we do?"

"Well, first of all you need to be treated with pure Chemical X," The professor explained, "However, we must be careful. Since you're already 4 years old your body might believe the new Chemical X is a foreign body and try to expel it. The measurements must be exact, and I don't feel confident in proceeding until I know the exact dosage you need."

"What..." Brick had to cough up bile before he could continue, "What if...what happens? If I don't get treated?"

The professor looked down sorrowfully, and that told Blossom and Brick everything they needed to know. If the professor didn't cure them, then the Rowdyruff Boys would die.

"Brick?" Blossom called to the suffering young punk, "Why did you come here? Why didn't you go to Mojo Jojo?"

"Didn't *cough* work," Brick replied weakly, "Boomer tried. Mojo...threw him out. We ain't got nowhere else...to go."

Blossom, despite not necessarily liking the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Mojo Jojo was essentially their father, yet the simian scientist threw out his own creations when they became inconvenient for him. She couldn't even imagine that kind of rejection.

"Blossom, I know it's asking a lot," The professor began cautiously, "But I could really use some help running tests."

"I'm on it, Professor," Blossom replied with a determined nod.

They went to the lab together and started working on a potential cure for the Rowdyruff Boys. Brick was too tired to watch them work, and he found science boring anyway, so he decided to take a little nap. A little sleep wouldn't hurt him, right?

As they worked on computer simulations of Chemical X dosage in someone with the body chemistry of a Rowdyruff Boy, Blossom noticed that the professor sighed several times in as many minutes. Something was distressing him, and she had a feeling that it wasn't just Brick's dire condition.

"Professor? What's wrong?" Blossom asked, deciding to take the direct approach, "Is it about Brick, or is it something else?"

"Well..." The professor wasn't sure if he should share his suspicions with Blossom, but she was the most mature of his daughters, so he decided to likewise take the direct approach, "When I made you girls 9 years ago, adding Chemical X had been an accident. I kept it around because it was a newly constructed formula and no one yet knew the full extent of its uses and hazards. Blossom...Brick's Chemical X isn't just leaving his body, it's losing its potency and being flushed because his body no longer recognizes it."

"So?" Blossom asked uncomprehendingly.

"So it means that Chemical X expires," The professor told her, "I didn't know that before. No one knew. Chemical X has only existed for a couple decades. What I'm worried about is...if we can't find a cure for the Rowdyruff Boys...Blossom, this could happen to you and your sisters. You have pure Chemical X inside you, so it will take longer, but eventually your systems could wear out and you could become sick in the same way the Rowdyruff Boys are sick. I'm just worried...what if we can't...?"

"We'll find the cure, Professor," Blossom reassured him confidently, "After all, we're both geniuses. What could go wrong?"

With those words Blossom went back to work with the professor. Despite her confident exterior however she couldn't help but take the professor's words to heart. She had often wondered about how her body functions. Chemical X created children was an untested concept, and it was so easy for something to go wrong.

Blossom still remembered the times when things did go wrong. When she and her sisters were young they had made a Powerpuff Girl named Bunny to be their younger sister and help them fight crime. The being they had made was large, disfigured, and mentally stunted. She released criminals from prison that went on to attack the other three girls. Bunny exploded a few days after her initial creation, right after saving her sisters' lives from the mess she herself created. Blossom had harbored guilt over Bunny's life and death ever since, though it was something she, Bubbles, and Buttercup never discussed openly.

There was also that time Professor Utonium's so-called college friend Dick Hardley had used decreased doses of Chemical X to create his own knock-off Powerpuffs. They also were disfigured, indicating Bunny's issue likewise might have been an insufficient amount of the mysterious chemical. Those Powerpuffs also died after their first fights, which meant they likewise had been unstable.

What if the Rowdyruff Boys didn't make it? What if the Powerpuff Girls themselves were in danger of becoming unstable? Blossom didn't want to think about it, but her mind wouldn't allow her to stop pondering the morbid question. They had to save Brick, otherwise it could be the end of not just one life, but six.

* * *

 _Author's Notes: I didn't really want to use the Rowdyruff Boys in my fic since they are overused characters in the PPG community, but they were the best ones to serve this subplot of the story so in they go! Let's hope that decision doesn't come back to bite me..._


	8. Mortals

_Author's Notes: Hi everyone, and welcome back to the story! I had originally intended this chapter to be longer and contain more of the arc for this plot line, but the flow just seemed better right where it was, so instead of making a longer chapter I'm publishing faster. I suppose there's positives and negatives to everything. Thank you for reading, and please review if you feel like it :)_

* * *

Chapter 8

Mortals

It had been two days since Brick came to the Powerpuff home, and his condition only continued to decline. Blossom actually took the past two days off school to help the professor test various potential cures for the young patient. Bubbles and Buttercup were shocked that their studious sister would ever dare miss school for any reason, but she knew how important it was to save Brick's life.

When school would end Buttercup and Bubbles would search the city in the hope of finding Butch or Boomer. For all they knew the boys could already be dead, so time was of the essence.

No matter what they tried Brick's condition never seemed to improve. He was kept in an isolation bubble to prevent his body from coming into contact with toxins, and he had been unconscious for 38 hours straight. His breathing was labored, and Blossom could tell his body was shutting down.

"Have we tried mixing the chemical X with pure sodium?" Blossom asked the professor.

"We tried it, but the test sample of Brick's cells imploded," Professor replied as he read the list of cures they had tried on the clipboard, "We could mix chemical Y with zinc, but I don't think it'll fix what has already been disintegrated."

Blossom sighed and nodded in understanding. She mixed up the chemical Y and zinc compound anyway just in case it worked. At this point she was hoping for a miracle to save the downed Rowdyruff Boy. She hated to admit it, but her reasons for wanting to see him get well were selfishly motivated. Sure, she hated it that he was suffering, but she also knew this cure would be important if she and/or her sisters ever encountered this issue within themselves. Saving him might someday save herself.

Blossom and Professor Utonium mixed the chemical Y with the zinc compound and introduced a microscopic sample into a petri dish with Brick's cells. The sample wavered, but then went back into its deteriorating state. They were close, but the formula wasn't complete.

After two hours of varying the formula with everything from amino acid substitute to TBHQ to charcoal, they finally hit on a complex formula that kept the cells intact. The professor wrote down everything they had used and readied a large batch of the concoction to give to Brick and hopefully the other two Rowdyruff Boys. Blossom was so relieved that they finally had the cure and no chemical X created child would ever have to worry about this again. They did it!

Blossom flew a beaker with the formula, codename Artificial Preservative, over to the glass bubble where Brick had been lying comatose for the better part of two days. She knew she would have to be careful when opening the door so that the pressure wouldn't cause any distress to his weakened body. Everything about this process would have to be carefully and methodically done.

She looked inside the bubble for Brick, but all she saw was a black stain where he had been laying. At first she was annoyed that Brick would escape his bubble when his life was in danger, but that thought quickly gave way to another when she remembered that he hadn't been awake for two days. Blossom gasped in horror when she realized what she was seeing. That black stain _was_ Brick.

"P...P-Professor?" Blossom called out; her voice a barely audible squeak, "I think Brick is..."

The Professor rushed over to where his daughter was, and looked to see what Blossom was trying to say. He sighed ruefully when he saw that their patient was already gone. They had done everything they could for him, but they had been too late.

"Do you think the other boys will also be...?" Blossom couldn't finish her sentence due to already starting to cry.

"I don't know, honey," Professor replied sadly, "Maybe you should go out there and help your sisters look for them. There might still be time."

"O-Okay, Professor," Blossom replied as she wiped the tears from her face with her arm, "I'll...I'm on it."

Blossom zipped out of the room in a flash of pink light, unwilling to stay in the same room with Brick's remains any longer. The professor got a sterilized jar from his collection and gathered up the black substance that had once been a Rowdyruff Boy. They could give him a more respectful burial later. For the moment he needed to ready the containment bubble in case the other boys could be found.

* * *

The Gangreen Gang walked down the street without purpose looking as intimidating as ever as they strode along the sidewalk. Grubber's face held the typical fool's expression everyone was used to, but inside his mind he was troubled. He hadn't heard from Blossom in days, which was unusual for her. He wondered if she was alright, though he kept telling himself everything was fine and she was just busy fighting crime. He just hoped she was busy fighting someone else's crime tonight, because the Gangreen Gang's night had only just begun.

They made it to Malph's Market, their favorite place to rob, and Snake looked inside to see how busy it was that night.

"Jussst one checker, Accce," Snake reported, "No cusstomersss."

"Perfect," Ace smiled wickedly as he put his hand in his jacket; ready for the next phase of the heist.

The gang walked into the store where a young cashier was standing at the other end of the register. She looked at them suspiciously, and she had every reason to do so.

"Welcome to Malph's," The checker greeted them, though it was mostly to let them know she was watching them.

"Hey there, doll face," Ace replied confidently as he pulled his hand, and his gun, out of his jacket, "This is a stick up! Stay behind the counter with your hands where I can see 'em!"

"Y-You can't do that!" The checker protested, "The Powerpuff Girls will beat you up if you rob this place."

"What are you, new?" Ace asked snidely, "We're too small time for the Powderpuff Girls to care about now. They're too busy fightin' monsters and catchin' fallin' buildings or whatever. But since you think this is all just a fun game of cops and robbers, let's play. You can be the body they draw crime scene chalk around."

The cashier gasped and ducked under the counter just one second before Ace fired his gun at her! Fortunately for the cashier, Ace wasn't a very good shot. Frustrated, Ace ran around to the other side of the counter where the cashier had ducked and cornered her, and she looked up at the gang leader with fear in her eyes.

"Accce! No!" Snake exclaimed, "She isssn't worth its."

"Yeah, listen to that guy!" The cashier chimed in, "Take the money, just don't shoot!"

Ace ignored the woman on the ground and instead turned his attention toward Snake. Snake gulped, realizing he had just messed up. He only hoped Ace didn't feel like turning that gun on _him_.

Ace slapped Snake hard across the face, like usual, and the cashier screamed at seeing such violence up close.

"Don't _ever_ contradict me again, Snake. Got that?" Ace asked in a low growl.

"Yesss, bossss," Snake replied timidly.

"Alright then," Ace nodded; satisfied, "I get it though. You see a hot chick and you forget yourself for a minute. I get dat. Do whatever you want with her. We got a couple hours to kill. I'm gonna get some beer and milk duds. Aw crap, Big Billy ate all the Slim Jims! Hey! Billy! Put down that shelf full of cookie packets!"

Snake laughed as he watched Ace run after Billy before the big lug ate all the food. When Ace was safely away however he felt of his face and noticed a tooth was loose. He counted in his head and figured that would probably be four back teeth he had lost so far. Two of them were from Ace, one was from a Powerpuff Girl, and one was from tripping over a rock and falling on a bike rack face first. Yeah, he'd led a pretty harrowing life thus far.

Snake then heard a soft whimper and realized that he was still standing over the cashier. He looked down at her, and she cowered further under the counter.

"Please, don't hurt me," She begged, "T-Take the money. I won't move. Please."

Snake felt pity for this girl, though he wasn't sure why. This wasn't the first checker they had ever held at gunpoint, and normally Snake thought it was funny when a victim was afraid of them. Then again, Ace had never come so close to killing one of their victims before. As they grew older their crimes became more serious, and Snake had to admit to himself that he was getting tired of it all.

"I'm not going to hurts you," Snake assured her as he knelt down to look her in the eye, "Are you alrights?"

"Yes, thank you," She replied softly, still afraid of the other gang members hearing her, "I also want to say thank you for saving my life. I know you're with the Gangreen Gang, but I think you're a good person. I'll never forget this. Thank you."

"No one in the gang hass ever committed murder yets," Snake told her, "I guesss I'm jusst delaying the inevitable."

"You don't have to be this way," The cashier replied in concern, "You could get out of the gang, and maybe find help. Maybe go to a homeless shelter until you find a job. I could put in a good word for you here at Malph's."

Snake snickered at that last comment.

"Lady, I've robbed thiss placcce sso many timess that I've made more profitss than the sstore itssself," Snake replied in amusement, "Ssstill, thanksss for caring. What'ss your name, anyway?"

"Andrea," The checker replied bashfully, "I just moved to Townsville a few weeks ago. Ironically enough I moved here because the crime rate was lower than Citysburg. So much for that, huh? So, what's your name?"

"Sssanford, but everyone callsss me Sssnake," Snake introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Snake," Andrea replied cordially, "Listen, I know what I say probably doesn't matter to you, but if you don't leave this gang you'll end up destroying yourself. Please, just consider what I said. You deserve better than to be threatened and slapped around by your gun-toting boss."

"I...I'll thinks about it," Snake replied uncertainly.

Snake and Andrea weren't the only ones to hear their soft spoken conversation however. On the other side of the counter eating candy bars was Grubber. He heard the whole thing, and wondered if Snake really would ever consider leaving their gang. The Gangreen Gang was a safe haven for the five freakish souls that made up the sum of its parts. Grubber couldn't imagine the gang ever fragmenting. Then again, given what Snake put up with from Ace for all these years, maybe he could.

* * *

Bubbles flew alone as the wind whipped around her and the grey clouds shrouded the city of Townsville. She and Buttercup had been searching for the Rowdyruff Boys for hours, and she knew that time was running short for them. She only hoped either she or Buttercup could find them before it was too late.

Using her super vision, Bubbles searched the ground near the Old Townsville Bridge near the shadier part of town. She could see teenagers spray painting tags, homeless people huddled around a trash can fire, and ne'er-do-wells getting high. She would at least do something about the gang taggers on a normal day, but she was on an emergency mission and couldn't afford to get distracted.

She noticed two small figures under the bridge that were marked blue, green, and black. She stopped and looked harder to see if that was the boys, and much to her surprise it actually was!

Bubbles flew down to see the Rowdyruffs and check on their condition. When she got down there she noted that both of them were barely conscious and everyone else around them was ignoring them. Her heart sank at their terrible condition. They were leaking chemical X at an alarming rate and were moaning softly. Even their eyes had chemical X in them!

"Boomer? Butch?" Bubbles called out quietly, "It's me, Bubbles. From the Powerpuff Girls? Remember? Can you hear me?"

"Ooh...Bubbles?" Butch asked in a barely coherent manner, "Who is...?"

"She's one of them, Butch," Boomer answered; his head a little clearer than his brother's, "Where's...Brick?"

"He's still at our house," Bubbles replied reassuringly, "I'm here to take you boys to the lab. The professor is working on a cure for you. You'll get better, you'll see. Just come back with us."

"How...do we know...it's not...trick?" Butch asked skeptically.

"Why would we do that?" Bubbles asked as she knelt down to look both of them in the eye, "Boys, I know we've had our differences, but you're practically family. I mean, you were made by Mojo Jojo, and in a weird sort of way so were we. So, it's kind of like you're our brothers."

" _Yuck_!" Boomer gagged, "Way to get mushy...Powerpuff..." Boomer then started breathing in an out heavily in an effort to keep his lungs working.

"Hold on! I'm going to call Buttercup," Bubbles announced as she whipped out her cell phone, "Just stay awake. You'll be alright, I promise."

Bubbles then frantically dialed Buttercup's number, but Buttercup didn't answer her phone. Bubbles was trying to avoid panicking, but she saw how bad off the boys were and she was afraid they wouldn't get treatment in time. She didn't even know if the professor had found the cure yet or not! She tried calling Buttercup again, but there was still no answer.

She then dialed Blossom as a last resort, and the pink Powerpuff answered her phone immediately.

"Bubbles, did you find them?" Was Blossom's first question.

"Yes, we're at the Old Townsville Bridge," Bubbles replied hurriedly, "How fast can you get here?"

"I'm on my way," Blossom replied quickly.

Bubbles hung up and then turned back to the Rowdyruff Boys. Boomer was still breathing hard and Butch had lost consciousness. Bubbles gulped fearfully and felt Butch's mouth to make sure he was still breathing. He was. Bubbles sighed in relief and a few seconds later Blossom landed in front of them.

"Thank goodness you're here!" Bubbles exclaimed in relief, "You take Butch, and I'll take Boomer."

"Bubbles..." Blossom said hesitantly, "About Brick..."

"Later! We need to get the boys to the house right now!" Bubbles urged.

Blossom decided to drop the subject for the moment, but she knew when the boys were fully back to themselves they would wonder where their brother went. She was _not_ looking forward to this conversation.


	9. The Way Out

_Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! This chapter is one that I've had planned for months, especially the latter half, but I got distracted and have only just now finished writing it. I am so sorry it took so long. Anyway, thank you to those who have read this far, and please review if you feel like it :)_

* * *

Chapter 9

The Way Out

Boomer and Butch were both inside the containment bubble and the professor had given them the Artificial Preservative treatment. Both Rowdyruffs seemed to be responding to the treatments well, and with nothing to do but wait Blossom decided to finally leave the lab and take some time for herself.

When Blossom logged onto her computer she found that she had several messages from WildThing-HeartStrings. At first it was merely messages asking how she was that day, but the last few were a bit more frantic asking if she was alright. She supposed between the Internet silence and not fighting crime for days it would look like she had gone missing. She figured she'd better see if she could get a hold of him before the poor man had a heart attack.

EverythingNice98: Hey Wild Thing. Are u there? Sorry I've been away. Had a lot on my mind. How are things going with you?

...

...

Nothing.

"Hm, that's strange," Blossom pondered to herself, "Normally it doesn't take him this long to answer me. Maybe if I send another one."

EverythingNice98: Hey Wild Thing! U there?

...

Still nothing.

Blossom didn't understand. He had been so worried about her, so why was he ignoring her now? Was he angry? Was he just AFK? Maybe he was hurt. She didn't know which one it was, and had no way of finding out. She didn't even know his real name.

"Come on, Wild Thing. I need you right now," Blossom whispered to the computer screen, "I don't know how I'm going to deal with this. Boomer and Butch are going to wake up...and Brick won't be there. I don't know if I can handle that. Brick was a jerk but I didn't want _this_ to happen to him. Nobody deserves that. Wild Thing...where are you?"

* * *

Grubber meanwhile was trying to get some sleep after the evening's events. Ace had broken their computer in a fit of rage, so Grubber couldn't even find solace writing poetry or chatting with Blossom. It could've been worse though, at least he didn't end up like Snake.

Snake had snuck off from the hideout in broad daylight to go talk to that cute checker at Malph's they had met the other night. Grubber forgot her name, but apparently Snake thought he actually had a chance with her after their heart-to-heart talk during the robbery.

Ace found out Snake had run off and sent Big Billy out to find him. When Billy got there however Snake was having a conversation with the checker. Grubber didn't know what they said to each other, but he did know what happened next. Billy had burst into the store to get Snake to come home, but the checker had freaked out at seeing him and called the police. Billy was too slow to figure out he should run, so Snake had to drag him away. As they ran from the cops Billy tripped and got his upper arm stuck in a manhole cover. Yeah, if the other prisoners in Townsville Penitentiary didn't have fat jokes before...

The ending was of course predictable. Snake tried to pull Billy out but his scrawny arms couldn't do anything. The police showed up and Snake ran away. Big Billy of course was arrested, meaning Snake had to come home and tell Ace what happened. Ace also reacted predictably: by breaking everything breakable, shooting the computer and TV, and beating Snake into near oblivion. Needless to say Grubber had suddenly discovered the value of an early bedtime.

He pretended to be asleep, but he could still hear Arturo muttering to Snake as he dabbed at the injured man's wounds with whiskey on a cotton ball. They didn't keep medical alcohol around since Ace said their drinkable booze would do the same job, but Grubber was still sure that was unwise considering how often they got hurt.

Grubber tried to sleep, but his mind was troubled. Snake was already considering leaving. Would this be the thing that pushed Snake away from the gang forever? If he did leave, would Ace hunt him down and kill him for disobedience? Grubber knew Snake, and he knew Ace. He knew Snake was scared enough to run away, and he knew Ace would be angry enough to catch him.

He also worried about Billy being alone in jail. He knew Billy could defend himself physically, but he also knew that Billy never got arrested alone. The poor cyclops would probably drive everyone nuts with his crying and pleas to see his friends. Grubber was supposed to look out for Billy. That man had the mind of a child and the strength of a rhino. That was a deadly combination, but it also made Billy vulnerable. Grubber wished he could just break the big guy out himself, but he knew without the rest of the gang it would be pointless, and Snake was in no condition to help right now.

So, with no other recourse, Grubber rested his head on his hands as he laid down on the floor; trying to travel to that place where dreams dismiss one's sorrows.

* * *

Blossom had finally returned to school despite feeling that she should stay and help with Butch's and Boomer's recovery. The professor had assured her that everything would be fine and told the girls to go to school. Buttercup faked a stomach bug to stay home, and even though the professor knew she was lying he let it slide. He knew deep down that he would need her help if the patients escaped.

School seemed far less interesting to Blossom than usual. She went through classes and did her best to pay attention, but her mind kept forcing her back to the sight of black residue and screams that had been silenced forever. Brick's moans of pain and ooze coming from his body haunted her. His death was unlike any other death she had ever seen before. It had been so slow and she had been so helpless despite everything she tried to do. It was like the real world around her refused to penetrate the firewall that was her tortured memories.

Every class was a blur, and before she could register any tidbit of knowledge it was over. She was flying in the sky next to Bubbles with no recollection of where she had been before.

"Blossom?" Bubbles's voice sounded so timid as she spoke that Blossom feared what would be said, "What if they're awake? I don't want to be the one to tell them. Can you do it? I don't think I can do it without crying."

"Sure Bubbles," Blossom replied, though inside her brain was telling her mouth to shut up and mind it's own business.

Blossom sighed when she heard Bubbles continue to try to make polite conversation. She didn't hear what Bubbles was saying, but she would occasionally say "Uh huh" just to avoid being rude. She just didn't have the mental or emotional strength to pay attention anymore.

The girls landed in front of the house and Bubbles opened the door so they could go inside. The darkness of interior lighting was disorienting after the brightness of the afternoon sun. Blossom knew it wasn't actually dark inside, but it felt dark while her eyes adjusted to everything.

"Hey girls," Buttercup called from the entrance to the basement lab, "The boys woke up two hours ago. I, uh...I told them."

Blossom heaved a sigh of relief and said "Thank you, Buttercup. You have no idea what that means to me today."

Buttercup just snorted at the sentimentality and made way so the girls could float downstairs with her.

"Butch has been hollering demanding to be let out," Buttercup smirked in mild amusement, but then in a more serious tone said, "I'm a little worried about Boomer though. He's been real quiet this whole time. I heard him muttering once, making promises about all the good stuff he'll do if they live. It would've been funny if it wasn't so serious."

"Poor Boomer," Bubbles replied sadly, "How did they take the news?"

"How do you _think_?" Buttercup snapped, and Bubbles floated away a little and whimpered, "Bubbles, they just lost their brother! Butch tried to melt the professor's head off, and if it weren't for that glass they were in he'd have done it! Boomer didn't do _anything_. He just sat there and looked at me like he'd never seen me before. It was freaky."

"That _is_ weird," Bubbles replied, "When I found them Boomer had more sense than Butch did. Maybe he needs a nap."

Buttercup just grumbled under her breath while the other two girls followed her deeper into the lab. The professor was writing something down on a clipboard while Butch screamed every curse he could imagine at the poor guy. Boomer was, just as stated, quiet and completely still. He had a thousand yard stare that just didn't look right on the mischievous blonde's face.

"Oh, girls. I'm glad you're here," Professor said warmly, "Could you keep an eye on the boys while I make dinner? I need to make extra food for our recovering patients, so I need a little more time."

"Sure thing, Professor," Bubbles volunteered.

"Let us know if you need anything," Blossom added.

"Thanks, girls," Professor waved goodbye before ascending the stairs and leaving the girls alone with the traumatized Rowdyruffs.

"Hey, Powerpuff Girls! When are you gonna let us out, you stupid crybabies?" Butch asked rudely.

"As soon as your condition stabilizes and you agree to be civil, then you can come out," Blossom replied.

"Civil my butt! _Let me out!_ " Butch demanded.

Butch then started banging on the protective shield for probably the fifth time since he woke up.

"Well, at least they're feeling better," Bubbles simpered; trying to look on the bright side.

"Listen guys, I'm really sorry about what happened to Brick," Blossom said over Butch's screaming and banging against the glass, "We did everything we could, and I'm sorry that wasn't enough. The good news is you should make a full recovery, and- AND THEN YOU CAN GO HOME!"

The more Blossom tried to reason with them the angrier and louder Butch got. She couldn't say she blamed him though. If she had lost Buttercup or Bubbles she would probably go crazy just as he did. She needed a moment to herself, so she asked Buttercup and Bubbles if they would watch the Rowdyruffs Boys, to which her sisters agreed.

Blossom flew into her room and went straight to her computer. She hoped that today Wild Thing had decided to reply to her. She hoped he was just trying to make her worry the way he did about her and that he didn't suddenly decide he hated her or something. When she logged on, she was relieved to see there was a direct message from Wild Thing.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Good evening, Blossom. I am sorry I haven't written you lately, but the computer at my house is broken. I am currently writing you from the Townsville Hospital's waiting room. I have terrible news, about my friend Shades...

Blossom read the rest of the message, but she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. Apparently Wild Thing had been going through just as much as her, if not more. She had to go to Townsville Hospital. She had to be with Wild Thing in this difficult moment, so that hopefully the two could find comfort in each other's support. She just hoped he didn't mind seeing her in real life.

* * *

 **Earlier…**

It was about 3:00 AM when Gruber woke up from a fitful sleep. He heard Ace rambling around in his room, so Grubber knew he was awake. Arturo had already tried to convince Ace to stage a breakout of the Townsville Prison for Big Billy, but Ace had said no. Snake had also tried to defend Billy, but Ace just punched him; adding to Snake's already sizable wound count from the last beating.

Grubber knew he had to try to talk to Ace though. Ace often listened to Grubber, and Big Billy needed to be reunited with the rest of the gang. Breaking into Townsville Prison was crazy, but they had to do something. Grubber only hoped he could convince his longtime friend to lead the charge.

Grubber walked down the dark hallway of the condemned house they stayed in, and he saw that Ace had lit some candles in his room for light. Just as Grubber approached the doorway however he heard Ace say "Oh, so you think you're a big man now, huh? You don't have the guts to actually do it."

Grubber didn't know what was going on, so rather than barge in he peeked around the door frame to see what was happening. What happened next shocked him to his very core.

He saw Snake standing in Ace's room, holding Ace's gun and aiming it at their boss's chest. Ace didn't even look afraid, so confident was he in his total control over Snake. Grubber had seen Ace and Snake fight, but he had never seen that look in Snake's bloodshot eyes before. He looked angry, determined, and at the end of his rope. After years of physical and mental abuse, Snake could take it no longer.

The gun fired, and Ace went down with barely a grunt. The shot's loud bang seemed to bring Snake back to reality, and he gasped at seeing his leader bleeding on the floor.

"Acccee!" Snake wailed remorsefully, "Oh no! I'm sssorry! I'm sssoo sssorry!"

Grubber ran into the room then, and found his bare feet stepping on Ace's blood. Snake's hands were shaking from the realization that he just shot their friend and leader. Grubber pressed his hands to Ace's wound to constrict the blood, and Ace coughed up something black. He was still alive, but they knew he wouldn't be for long without medical treatment.

Lil' Arturo ran into the room, awakened by the gunshot, and saw the ghastly scene.

"What the heck happened!?" Arturo asked frantically.

"Pfft pfft pfft pfft!" Grubber explained.

"You _shot_ Ace!?" Arturo asked Snake accusingly.

"There'sss no time!" Snake shouted desperately, "Arturo, call an ambulanccce!"

"With what? My magic powers?" Arturo asked sarcastically.

"Find a cccellphone!" Snake snapped.

"Fine! I'll shake down some loser, if I can find one," Arturo grumbled before running out of the room.

Grubber grabbed one of Ace's old shirts and tied it around Ace's chest to try to restrict the blood loss. It wasn't working very well, as the blood just kept coming out. For once Grubber was glad Big Billy wasn't there. If the poor man saw this it would traumatize him. Grubber only hoped Arturo managed to get an ambulance to them before Ace bled out.

"Pfft pfft pfft?" Grubber asked Snake why he shot Ace.

"Well...It wasss...the only way out," Snake replied shakily, "I'm jussst ssso...tired. I wants a normal life, with normal problemss, but Accce makess uss ssstay here. I'm tired of getting hurts. I'm tired of...I'm jussst ssso tired of everything."

Grubber already knew that Snake felt that way, but he never imagined that it would come to this. If anything he had expected Ace to one day shoot Snake, not the other way around. If their gang managed to survive this, if _Ace_ managed to survive this, it would be more than Grubber believed possible.

* * *

 **Present**

"Girls, I have to go to Townsville Hospital. I'll be back soon," Blossom told her sisters.

"The hospital? Do we need supplies for Boomer and Butch?" Bubbles asked.

"No, it's not that," Blossom replied, suddenly realizing how odd her explanation was going to sound, "You see girls, I have this friend, and his friend just got shot."

"You got shot?" Bubbles asked without concern, "Did it leave a mark?"

"No, I didn't get shot," Blossom replied, "You see girls, my friend is someone I met online. We're both into poetry and have a lot in common. He's really smart and profound. His name is Wild Thing. Well, that's his username."

"You don't know his real name and you're going to drop in on him at the hospital unexpectedly?" Buttercup asked in a deadpan tone.

"He needs someone to be there for him," Blossom insisted, "His friend that he's known for years was shot and could be dying! This is because we weren't out there fighting crime. The least I can do after not stopping the criminal is offer emotional support when my friend needs me."

"Should we come too?" Bubbles asked.

"Nah. I can handle this myself," Blossom assured them, "Just keep an eye on Butch and Boomer, okay?"

"Fine," Buttercup shrugged, "See you later."

Blossom then flew out of the house and toward Townsville. She only hoped that her friend would be happy to see her. Maybe the guy who was shot would survive. Maybe this could be the start of a beautiful IRL friendship. Or maybe he wouldn't like her if he got to know her in person. She hoped she was doing the right thing by going to see Wild Thing.

Blossom flew into the hospital and went up to the front desk. The nurse looked down and immediately recognized Blossom.

"Oh hey, you're one of the Powerpuff Girls!" The nurse exclaimed cheerfully, "You do such good work for Townsville! How can I help you?"

"Um, I'm looking for a patient who came in last night after being shot in the chest," Blossom replied, "Could you tell me what room he's staying in?"

"I'm afraid not," The nurse replied apologetically, "We're not allowed to give out that information except to family and close friends. That's okay. I'm sure the police will allow you to continue your investigation into the Gangreen Gang without seeing Ace."

"Ace?" Blossom asked in confusion, "Wait, the Gangreen Gang?"

"Well, yes. The only gunshot victim at the moment is Ace Copular of the Gangreen Gang. Apparently his gun accidentally went off and he shot himself in the chest. Three of the other ruffians in that gang are in his room now. You can ask one of them for his room number, since they're the closest thing to family that thug has left."

Blossom thanked the nurse and then went outside. She leaned against the building from the side entrance and took a few deep breaths. She couldn't believe this! Her best friend online, heck, her best friend _anywhere_ , was a member of the Gangreen Gang? As if things in her life weren't complicated enough.

Once the shock wore off she was left with confusion, anger, and curiosity. She had told Wild Thing that she was a Powerpuff Girl. Whoever he was, he knew her real identity, and yet he continued to talk to her. Was this all part of an evil plan? Probably not. The Gangreen Gang wasn't exactly known for thinking things through. Then again, maybe she was underestimating them. Whoever Wild Thing was, he was obviously brilliant and creative. Maybe someone in the Gangreen Gang could concoct a plan to destroy the Powerpuff Girls that involved online messages.

That left a big question though: who was Wild Thing? Blossom flew around the hospital to see if she could find Ace's room. The nurse said only three members of the gang had come to see him, and Wild Thing contacted her from the hospital, so she could eliminate one of them right then and there. She found Ace's room and saw that he was surrounded by Arturo, Grubber, and a badly beaten up Snake.

Okay, so Big Billy was out. Made sense. He didn't strike Blossom as an intellectual poet. Blossom thought back to every conversation she could remember having with Wild Thing in hopes of figuring out some clues. It wasn't Ace, because he was the shooting victim. Wild Thing had said his friend liked telenovellas. The friend was probably Arturo since he was the only one in the group that spoke Spanish. So, he was out. That just left Grubber and Snake.

"It's gotta be Snake," Blossom said to herself, "He's always been the weakest link in their gang. The one who's pushed around by everybody else. It only makes sense he would need an escape from his horrible life, and writing poetry is a great way to do that. I wonder if everyone from the Isle of Man talks like him. So then, what do I do now? Is he really my friend, or just using me?"

Blossom didn't go into the hospital, but rather flew home. She still needed to tend to the Rowdyruffs Boys anyway. Her life was being upended at every turn. First Brick dies, then they have to care for his brothers, and now Blossom was sure her online friend was Snake of the Gangreen Gang. Could this day get any worse?


	10. Crossroads

_Author's Notes: I've had some inspiration to write this story lately, but of course I just got a new project to work on for a client. Luckily this chapter was almost finished when I got the job so I didn't have to do as much to finish it. i hope everyone is enjoying this story, and if you'd like to leave a review I would love to read it :)_

* * *

Chapter 10

Crossroads

Buttercup had gone off to fight a giant monster in central Townsville. Blossom was at the hospital checking in on a friend and had been gone for an hour. That left Bubbles alone to help Professor Utonium take care of the Rowdyruff Boys. Bubbles didn't mind helping out, but she was starting to feel a little withdrawal from not texting her school friends all day. It didn't help that she hadn't had a real conversation with her sisters for a few days now. It was just orders to do things and talking about the formula to cure Brick, Boomer, and Butch. These things were important, but Bubbles wished for just one moment she could turn off her brain and forget the badness.

Bubbles flew around the lab handing things to the professor as he requested them. Butch had stopped banging on the glass and had fallen asleep due to exhaustion, and Boomer was just sitting there quietly watching Bubbles as she made blue streaks of light all around the room as she worked. It was weird to see Boomer this quiet, though at this point everything had been weird from Bubbles's perspective. She didn't know Blossom had a friend, even if it was just an online one, and Brick's death was just as shocking as it was traumatic. Bubbles had never seen someone her own age (or younger) die before, let alone someone who seemed nearly invincible. She didn't know what curve balls could come her way next.

Finally after the professor had everything he needed he told Bubbles that she could take a break and do whatever she wanted. The first thing she did even before leaving the room was to check her phone. There were two messages, but neither one was anything important. Bubbles sighed at having no distraction from the mess that was her current situation, and then out of the corner of her eye she saw Boomer was still watching her. Against her better judgment, she decided to talk to him.

"Are you feeling better, Boomer?" Bubbles asked gently, almost hoping he would insult her because it would mean he was back to normal.

"Why did you do it?" Boomer asked in bewilderment, "Why did you save us?"

"Because it was the right thing to do," Bubbles replied, "We're superheroes, and it's our job to save people, even you guys."

"So then why didn't you save Brick?" Boomer asked, though not in as accusing a tone as Bubbles had expected.

"We tried, but we didn't know how," Bubbles explained sorrowfully, "Thanks to trying to save Brick though, we figured out how to save you guys. So in a way, Brick saved your lives."

"He wouldn't have wanted that," Boomer said bitterly, "He was no hero and never wanted to be. We stick together, but when the going gets tough it's every Rowdyruff for himself. Bubbles, I...I don't know what to do now. I mean, I guess we just go back to the way things were, just without Brick. Butch and I can cause trouble and punch each other like we always do. I dunno though. It just feels like there should be...more to it...than that."

"It's up to you Boomer," Bubbles told him, "But you don't have to cause trouble if you don't want to."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Boomer asked her, "What else is there?"

Bubbles started to answer, but then paused. She didn't really have an answer for that. Boomer and Butch were bad guys, and they always had been. They were specifically created by Mojo Jojo to be bad, and it was possible that they might not be capable of anything else. Bubbles didn't know, and she didn't want to lie to Boomer. Something in his lost look however told her that maybe there was a tiny bit of goodness inside him. Maybe he could find it, but Bubbles didn't know how to tell him to look for it. She had always been good, and didn't know how to be anything else. Boomer seemed to catch on to her confusion.

"It's okay Bubbles. When Butch and I get better we won't be your problem anymore anyway. I'll try to convince him that we should leave Townsville. I know you got your own stuff to deal with without us hanging around. Consider it my way of paying you back for saving us."

"Thanks, Boomer," Bubbles replied with a sympathetic smile, knowing he was just trying to save face, "Get better soon."

Bubbles then floated up the stairs and into the brightly lit and inviting living room, a stark contrast from the steel greys and blues of the lab. Bubbles then saw Blossom sitting on the couch with her laptop feverishly typing away and ignoring the world around her. Bubbles didn't even know she was home, and realized it was likely due to being so busy helping the professor.

"Oh good, you're back from the hospital!" Bubbles greeted her warmly, "Is your friend going to be okay?"

"Can't talk," Blossom replied curtly, "I have almost a week's worth of overdue homework from when I missed school, and I've got to catch up."

"Blossom? Are you okay?" Bubbles asked, and that question seemed to pierce Blossom to her core as she shut off her laptop and looked at Bubbles with such a pitiful expression.

"Blossom?"

"Bubbles, I...I don't know who I am anymore!" Blossom exclaimed as she swatted her laptop away, causing it to break against the coffee table.

"What are you talking about? You're Blossom," Bubbles replied obliviously.

"No Bubbles, I mean... _Argh_!" Blossom had trouble forming her words, but then she took a deep breath to calm herself and explained, "We're not human, Bubbles! We're not human! Biologically we're nine years old, but nothing about us reflects that fact. We look exactly the same as we did at birth, and we're in middle school, not elementary school. Our minds age at a faster rate than an average human, but our bodies don't age at all. Nobody expects anything from us."

"Yes they do," Bubbles refuted, "We're expected to save Townsville on a regular basis, and if we don't then everyone panics until we do."

"That's not what I mean," Blossom replied morosely, "The professor already thinks we're perfect, the mayor already thinks we're perfect, and Townsville already thinks we're perfect. They want us to stay frozen in time, and I think they're going to get their wish."

"I don't understand," Bubbles replied, feeling like this was too close to Boomer's bad mood for comfort.

"I've been wearing this same red bow since the day I was born," Blossom pointed out as she floated closer to her sister, "Look at us, Bubbles. We look exactly the same as we did in kindergarten. We're in middle school, and we look like toddlers. What's going to happen when we go to high school? Or college? Or when we apply for jobs? What about when we're ready to date? Who would date someone that looks like a bug-eyed toddler? Normal eight year olds don't think this far ahead, and normal eight year olds wouldn't have to ask these questions. Bubbles...I don't want to spend the rest of my life fighting crime. I have dreams, and I've realized for a while now that I might not get to live those dreams."

"Believe it or not Blossom, I know what you mean," Bubbles replied consolingly, "I'd like to just be a normal girl sometimes too. I mean I like my powers and don't want to lose them, but I've often wondered what life would be like if I didn't have to constantly fight monsters or stop bank robberies or beat up Mojo Jojo every time he breaks out of jail."

"Something else has been bothering me too," Blossom admitted, "Bubbles, ever since Brick died and I...went to see my friend today, I've been thinking about...well, I've been thinking about good and evil."

"What about it?" Bubbles asked.

"When the Rowdyruff Boys were created we were what? Four years old? Less than that?"

"Uh-huh." Bubbles nodded.

"Back then, our roles were easy to define. The Rowdyruff Boys were evil and we were good. They caused trouble, and we stopped them. Easy. Then Brick died downstairs in the lab. There was no grand final battle, no taunting or insults, nothing. It was just Brick, alone in a containment bubble, melting out of existence slowly and painfully."

"Yeah, it was awful," Bubbles said softly as she hung her head.

"It just sort of hit me then," Blossom continued, "Brick...was a child. He was younger than us, and the only ones who are going to miss him are his brothers. Mojo Jojo created the Rowdyruff Boys to use them, and then Him revived them to use them. All their lives they've been used and they've egged each other on to do bad and stupid things. When they needed someone however, no one was there to help them. Mojo Jojo kicked them out of his house when they came to him _dying_! The only ones who tried to help them were us and the professor. The professor didn't even know Brick, yet he cared more than Brick's supposed _father_. Bubbles, are they actually evil? I mean, did they ever have a chance to be good?"

"Funny you should say that," Bubbles replied, "Boomer was asking me the same thing. Well, not the exact same thing, but he asked if causing trouble was really all there was to life. I think he actually can be good, if given a chance."

"I was thinking about this because of what I saw in the hospital. Bubbles, I want to tell you something, but if I do then you can't tell anybody else about it. Not Buttercup, not the professor, and not the kids at school. _No one_. Understand?"

"Not even Buttercup?" Bubbles gasped in shock.

"No, not even Buttercup," Blossom replied solemnly, "Can I trust you?"

"Of course!" Bubbles immediately replied, "What is it?"

"Well, I found out that...um, let me start at the beginning. My online friend was someone I met while researching poetry for my creative writing homework. Wild Thing was brilliant, quirky, and sensitive. He also confided in me that he lived a pretty hard life. He lost his dad to a police shootout, he lost his grandma, and he was trapped in America even though he came from another country. All of that happened when he was the same age we are now, and he was left completely alone, just like the Rowdyruff Boys."

"Wow, that's terrible!" Bubbles exclaimed, "He's just like Oliver Twist or Luke Skywalker."

"Um, you do know Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's dad, right?" Blossom replied drolly.

"Hey, spoilers!" Bubbles snapped.

"Besides, this isn't a Dickensian novel, and Wild Thing was no plucky lovable hero," Blossom told her sister, "Bubbles...can you remember the first time we met the Gangreen Gang?"

"The Gangreen Gang?" Bubbles asked, puzzled by the sudden change in topic, "Well, it was either when we stopped them from ruining that chili cook-off, or maybe when we stopped them from robbing the Townsville Museum, or maybe...you know, it's been so long ago I actually don't remember the first time."

"I do. It was three days after we were born."

"You remember that far back?"

"Yeah. It was raining outside, and we were walking home from school. We had waited all day for the professor, but we didn't know he was in jail. We had destroyed Townsville the day before, and everybody hated us. We had to walk home in the dark and in the rain through rubble and roads that no car could pass through."

"Oh, I do kind of remember that!"

"Do you remember when we went into the alley to try to get dry? The Gangreen Gang was already there, and they tried to attack us."

"Yeah. Gee, they seemed so much bigger and scarier back then," Bubbles commented.

"Yeah, well we didn't know any better," Blossom pointed out, "We didn't know anything about the world then, and what we saw in front of us was a bunch of big scary bad guys."

"Can you believe Mojo Jojo was the one that saved us?" Bubbles giggled, "That just feels so weird thinking back on it!"

"My point is, just like with the Rowdyruff Boys, our worldview was simple. Good was good, and bad was bad. There were no reasons and survival was all that mattered. What if the professor was as cruel and manipulative as Mojo Jojo? Would we still be good guys?"

"Well...maybe," Bubbles shrugged.

"My online friend is Snake from the Gangreen Gang," Blossom suddenly said, and Bubbles looked at Blossom as if she had accidentally frozen herself, "Yeah, I know, it's weird. The past couple days have made me think about the nature of good and evil. I mean, if someone brilliant and talented like Snake could be thrust into the Gangreen Gang because of bad circumstances, then how many of those bank robbers and other criminals have a similar story?"

"Well, maybe they do," Bubbles conceded, "But it's up to them to not steal things and hurt people."

"You mean like it's up to Boomer and Butch?" Blossom asked pointedly, and Bubbles looked uncomfortable by the comparison, "Bubbles, I want to be a psychologist when I grow up. Beating up bad guys cleans up Townsville for a day, but helping people to not commit crimes at all could help Townsville in ways we can't even imagine yet. I want to work with troubled kids that need someone to turn to who will listen to them and help them improve their lives. The problem is, will I be able to do that if I never get any older?"

"Actually Blossom, we can help right now," Bubbles replied encouragingly, "I have an idea, and I know it'll sound crazy, but maybe if you help me we can convince the professor together."

"Convince him of what?" Blossom asked.

"Convince him to adopt Boomer and Butch."

"What!?" Blossom shrieked, completely thrown, "But...but..."

"Blossom, they need someone in their lives to teach them how to be good," Bubbles urged her sister, "And the professor is the only man on earth who knows anything about raising superpowered children. He could be the dad that Mojo Jojo never was to them. They could be the brothers we never had!"

Before Blossom could reply the door flew open and a green streak of light stopped in the middle of the room; revealing Butterly holding the severed claw of a monster.

"Hey girls, you shoulda been there!" Buttercup exclaimed excitedly, "There was this monster that spewed green acid goo! It was all _patooey_ , _patooey_! And I was all _Bam_! _Pow_! _Punch_! _Kick_! Oh, and then it went _Rawr_! And I made it literally eat a knuckle sandwich when I took it's claw and shoved it in its mouth! Oh man, it was so awesome! I'm gonna go check on the boys. Bye!"

Buttercup then flew off, and Blossom turned to Bubbles and said "Are you sure we don't already have a brother?"

* * *

The next day at the Townsville Jail the guard at the front entrance was playing a game on his phone when he heard someone come inside. He looked over the counter and saw a familiar face, Grubber from the Gangreen Gang.

"Turnin' yourself in this time? Heheheh," The guard chuckled goodnaturedly.

"Pfft!" Grubber blew a raspberry as he handed the guard a slip of paper. The paper read: I want to see Big Billy.

"Ah yes, William Williams. He's been pacing the floors and freakin' out his cell mates. Maybe you can talk some sense into him. Uh, so to speak."

Grubber took that as permission to see Big Billy and waited by the door for a police officer to lead him through the jail. He was used to this routine. He would be scanned for metal, have to empty his pockets (his stuff was in under his tongue so the joke was on them), and then he would be escorted to wherever they were holding Billy. He had been on both ends of this exchange, and was grateful to be the visitor this time.

When Grubber and the guard got to the cell Big Billy was already holding onto the bars like a madman from one of those old movies. Apparently they had put him in a reinforced cell and he was trying to break his way out by brute force. When he saw Grubber however, his whole face lit up and it looked as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Grubber! Oh boy! _Oh boy_ oh boy!" Billy exclaimed happily, "Hey, where's everybody else?"

"Pfft," Grubber said solemnly.

"What happened?" Billy asked, noticing that Grubber was not his usual zany self.

Grubber then went on to explain that Ace was in the hospital and had been the victim of a shooting.

" _Ace got shot_!?" Billy shouted in shock, and his two cell mates cowered further away from him; knowing Billy could be violent when angry or upset, "Who shot Ace? Tell me who did it! Billy smash shooter!"

Grubber knew Billy would ask, and had been warring with himself about whether or not to tell the truth. Knowing that Snake shot Ace could drive a wedge between the two men, and if Ace died that rift might be permanent. Snake wasn't dangerous to Billy though; just to Ace. Then again if Grubber lied to Billy and he found out someday it could hurt Billy enough to make him leave the gang, and Billy wouldn't survive on his own. Grubber had been torn since last night about what to say, but finally he decided to just rip the bandage off quickly.

"Pfftpt pfft," Grubber said in a tone that was surprisingly melancholic for a raspberry noise.

"Snake?" Billy asked in a small voice, like a child being told their pet just died, "But that don't make any sense. Snake is member of gang. Billy no can smash Snake, right?"

Grubber nodded and blew an affirmative raspberry.

"Then...what do we do now?" Billy asked pitifully, "Billy want to leave jail and go home, but Ace not there."

Grubber reached his hand through the bars and patted Billy's hand reassuringly. The other gang members wouldn't have stooped to such an unmanly action, but Grubber knew he had no reputation to lose, and he also knew Billy needed comfort right now. Their world was falling apart, and they needed each other.

"Grubber, why did Snake shoot Ace?" Billy asked miserably.

There were a million valid answers Grubber could give, and even more theories. Snake was tired of being pushed around and beaten up. That was one. He was falling for a checkout clerk that made him feel special. That was another. Perhaps he wanted to take over the gang for himself with Ace gone. That was less likely, but possible. It was an impulsive decision and even Snake didn't know why. That seemed plausible. Grubber could have said anything to Billy, but he didn't. He knew Billy wouldn't understand even if Snake told him himself.

"Pfft," Which translated into, "I don't know."

"Billy wanna go home!" Billy whined.

Grubber shook his head no, telling him that he had to stay there for now.

"But we always break out!" Billy shouted, and the cop put his hand over his gun just in case.

"Pffpfft pff pfft," Grubber explained that he was only one guy and couldn't help Billy alone.

"But nobody wants to talk to Big Billy!" Billy complained, "Billly try to talk to that skinny guy but he just say he likes girls. He won't talk to me because I'm a boy! It's not fair!"

Grubber didn't know whether to facepalm or laugh. It was amazing to him how many people in Townsville didn't understand how innocent and friendly Big Billy could be, but to be fair he was also usually the biggest and strongest guy in the yard, so it was only natural that some guys would be wary of him. Then again, what kind of friend would Grubber be if he didn't help Billy get revenge for his cell mate's perverted mind?

"Pfft pfft pft," Grubber told Billy exactly what to say to the man after Grubber left, wishing he could be there to see the end result.

"Okay Grubber," Billy nodded agreeably, "Thanks."

After a couple more minutes of catching up Grubber told Billy he had to leave. He had to stay at the hospital with Snake and Arturo to find out if the surgery would be successful and if Ace would live. Billy was worried, but Grubber assured him that he would be informed of any new development.

When Grubber left Billy decided to try the conversation starter Grubber told him. He hoped his cell mate wouldn't be as mean as he was last time.

"Hey, uh, skinny guy?" Billy called out, and the other prisoner cringed, "I just wanted to tell you, uh, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

"Tell me what before?" The other guy asked apprehensively.

"That I think you're beautiful just the way you are," Billy said with a big dopey smile.

Billy of course was quoting a line from Blarney The Sea Serpent, a kid's show that he and Grubber frequently watched together. The prisoner however took it a completely different way and backed up against the wall.

"What'd you say!?" The prisoner asked, his voice an octave too high from stress.

"Bwahahaha!" The other cell mate started laughing at the first guy's misfortune, "Looks like you're tubby's favorite! Hahahaha!"

Billy didn't want to be unfair to the other cell mate and wanted to be friends with both guys, so he said "Dah, don't worry. I think you're special too. The three of us can do all sorts of fun things in here! We don't have to go outside to find things to do."

Once again, Billy was thinking back to an episode of Blarney all about games to play when it's raining outside. It was exactly the wrong thing to say though to two grown men trapped in a jail cell with him.

"GUARD!" The two men screamed in unison.

Billy just stood there in confusion staring at the two men as they rattled the bars and tried to get someone's attention. They clearly still didn't like him, and as he scratched his bushy red beard and looked at them a thought slowly entered his head.

"Dah, I think Grubber played a trick on me," Billy said out loud, though his voice was drowned out by the two freaked out inmates.

* * *

When Grubber made it back to the hospital he was exhausted. The jail was on the opposite side of town, and with no money for bus fare Grubber had to walk the whole way. He sagged as he rode the elevator, and when he got to the correct floor he trudged over to the waiting area and plopped down noisily onto an empty chair.

"Grubber, where have you been?" Arturo asked heatedly, "Snake and me were worried sick about you!"

"Pfft..." Grubber replied wearily.

"Oh. How's Billy holding up?" Arturo asked.

"Pfft Pffpfft," Grubber told them.

"That bad, huh?" Arturo commiserated, "Yeah, things are pretty messed up right now. Nothing happened while you were gone though. Just boredom and cafeteria jello. Stupid jello. All they had was orange! The least they could do is stock red jello! It's like they want everyone to feel depressed."

"It'sss all my fault," Snake quietly lamented, "I wasss jussst..."

"Don't say it, man," Arturo sighed, "Just don't say it. We got your back on this one, but don't think we're gonna just forget. If Ace dies, then I'm in charge. Got it?"

"I undersstand," Snake conceded without argument, "What do I do now?"

"Pfft," Grubber related.

"Billy sssaid that too, huh?" Snake repeated tiredly, drained from the previous night's events, "We should get him outs. He'sss too fragile to sstay in there too long."

Grubber nodded his agreement, though at this point he didn't know how they would break him out. Ace was the one that devised the plans, and without Ace the gang was like a body with no brain to command its various parts.

A few minutes later a nurse came into the room and walked up to the gang. Unlike many citizens of Townsville she didn't seem afraid of them, but then again she had probably seen her fair share of weirdness working in the hospital where monster attacks and monkey laser fire were common sources of injury.

"Boys, the doctor just got out of surgery," The nurse told the gang, "The bullet just missed Mr. Copular's heart, so he was very lucky in that regard. The bullet did puncture his left lung, but the surgeon was able to take care of him. There was no damage to his spine, so he should be able to walk after a bit of physical therapy to deal with atrophy caused by his temporary immobility. Mr. Copular will pull through but should be kept in the hospital for the next week or so to monitor his recovery in case of complications."

"Sssoo..."

"Ace is gonna live?" Arturo asked for the group.

"Most likely. His chances are pretty good at this point," The nurse informed them, "That young man is a fighter, and luckily his body is strong despite his odd skin condition. I just hope you'll all learn from this experience. Guns are not toys, and gang violence leads to human suffering. Please, take care of your friend, and then take care of yourselves. As long as you're alive there's still time to change your lives for the better."

"Thanks for the after school speech, lady," Was Arturo's rude reply, "We'll be fine though. It was one incident. We can bounce back from that. Ace'll be fine."

The nurse merely shook her head sadly at the delinquents and then left to attend to her duties. When she was gone Snake started keening, and the other two knew exactly what the problem was.

"Accce is going to kill me!" Snake wailed needlessly, "Whats am I going to do?"

"I think you should run, dude," Arturo suggested, "We'll cover for you, but you should leave. Ace can't kill you if he can't find you."

Snake looked distraught by Arturo's words. Part of him had considered leaving the Gangreen Gang even before he shot Ace, but he couldn't deny that these were his only friends. Now Arturo was saying that he should sever all ties and never see any of them again? He couldn't hide the fact that it hurt him to think about that.

Grubber looked up at him sadly but didn't say anything. What was there to say? Arturo was right. They couldn't let Ace kill Snake, and they also couldn't keep Snake around in case he decided to finish the job and kill Ace. Like it or not, Snake had to leave the gang.

"When Accce wakesss up," Snake said ruefully, "Tell him...It didn't have to be thisss way."

Snake then left the waiting room, and Arturo and Grubber knew they were seeing him for the last time. The two remaining gangsters sat on two chairs and stared down at the tile floor, not really sure what to do and waiting for the moment when Ace would wake up again. Even though Ace was still alive, it felt like a part of them had died.


	11. I Know

Chapter 11

I Know

School had been a chore to sit through. Normally Blossom didn't feel that way, but lately that became the sentiment more and more. Part of her tried to hold onto the feeling that she was working toward her future prosperity, but another part whispered in her ear that she was wasting her time. After all if she was a superhero forever then what was the point of even considering education?

After school Blossom took her computer to the repair shop, and they said it would be a couple days before she could pick it up. That meant she would have to use her phone to log on to the Internet, which wasn't great for homework but at least she could still talk to-

Wild Thing. Blossom kept forgetting that Wild Thing was Snake, and whenever she would remember it would hurt her for some reason. The Gangreen Gang weren't exactly the Powerpuff Girls' greatest rivals or anything, but they had been bad guys to beat up since the day the girls were born. It was still strange to think of them as individuals. They always felt more like a combined whole to Blossom, but now that she had to think of Snake as someone with feelings and pain...it was a lot to take in. She wondered if she should talk to him.

The answer seemed to present itself to the pink-eyed Powerpuff as she flew over the city. She saw a green form standing at a bus stop, and she stopped in time to see it was Snake. His head was downcast and he wasn't properly dressed for the chilly weather. Blossom also noticed he had a rolling suitcase with him. Where could he be going? Blossom had to talk to him, even though she wasn't sure what she was going to say.

Blossom landed four feet away from Snake and walked closer, and when he noticed her he became visibly nervous. Blossom had to assure him that she wouldn't beat him up before he made a run for it. After all they were friends, right?

"Snake, wait!" Blossom called out.

"What do you wants?" Snake asked suspiciously.

"Snake, there's something I need to tell you," Blossom said soberly, and Snake nodded to indicate he was listening, "Snake...I know your secret."

Snake's bloodshot eyes widened in panic. How could she know he shot Ace? No one knew outside the gang! Did Arturo rat on him? Did Grubber? Maybe Big Billy accidentally told the wrong person and they told a cop that told the Powerpuff Girls! Snake knew he was going to prison for sure, and his mind desperately groped for any lie, any excuse he could give that would convince Blossom of his innocence. Unfortunately, Snake had always been a lousy liar, so his mind came up with nothing.

"How...how did you find outs?" Snake asked apprehensively.

"I found out Ace was the only person that had been shot that day, and then I looked in on you guys in his hospital room. I put two and two together, and here we are," Blossom recounted.

"What...are you going to do?" Snake asked fearfully.

"Well, what can we do?" Blossom asked in a lost tone of voice, "I've been thinking about this ever since I found out, and I don't know how to feel about this."

"Your not going to beats me up?" Snake asked in astonishment.

"No, Snake," Blossom replied assuringly, "It's not like you meant to hurt anyone or anything. Things just got out of hand. I want to hate you, but I can't. You're just as lost and confused as I am, maybe more so."

"I wish thisss never happened," Snake said ruefully, "And yets...part of me thinkss I would do it again. I'm jusst ssso tired of being treated like I'm nothing. Every black eye, every chipped tooths, every ssscar...ssso much of my life I cannot get back. I wished it had been different."

"I don't think you're nothing," Blossom told him, "I think you're really smart, and you have a good heart underneath the bad influences."

"How can you ssstill sssay that to me? Knowing what I've done?" Snake asked sorrowfully.

"Because I know who you are now," Blossom replied with a sad smile, "Snake, if I may ask, why do you have that suitcase?"

"I'm leaving Townsssvile," Snake explained, "I can't sstay heres anymore. I'm leaving the Gangreen Gang, and I'm nots coming back."

Blossom couldn't believe what she was hearing. Snake was leaving? After she told him she didn't care that he was her online friend? Then again, maybe this was exactly what Snake needed. The Gangreen Gang had taken a delicate and impressionable young man and turned him into a fiend. Maybe without the gang to peer pressure him Snake could reach his full potential.

Snake didn't understand why the leader of the Powerpuff Girls was showing such leniency toward him. This same superpowered little girl had beaten him up over petty crimes like shoplifting and vandalism, yet attempted murder made her feel sorry for him? He didn't understand it, yet he appreciated it now that his life was essentially over. If he had to start over with a clean slate, maybe he could finally make peace with one of the bug-eyed weirdos that dispensed justice in this town.

"Alright, I won't try to stop you," Blossom finally said to him after a moment to think, "But promise me one thing."

"Okay," Snake agreed dubiously.

"Promise me you'll keep in touch," Blossom requested, "Write to me whenever you can, and let me know how things are going. If you need my help, don't hesitate to call me. Okay?"

"You...wants me to...write to you?" Snake asked in bewilderment, and Blossom nodded sadly, "Um...okay. I'll try."

Just then the bus pulled up at the bus stop, and Blossom waved to Snake as he took his first steps to freedom. He turned to Blossom before the door closed and said "You know the gang ssstill exissstss, Powerpuff. Getting rid of me doesssn't get rid of the problem."

"Yeah, I know," Blossom replied solemnly before the door closed on Snake.

Snake took his seat on the bus and it drove away heading for Citysburg. Blossom watched it drive away for a while, believing she was watching Wild Thing make a new life for himself. As she flew home she hoped that Snake would find what he was looking for out there, unaware of the circumstances behind his running away from his gang.

* * *

Back at the Utonium household Boomer and Butch were behind their containment field giving the professor the most unimpressed glare they could muster.

"You wanna what?" Butch asked in a deadpan voice; his arms crossed over his chest and his sneakers firmly planted on the floor.

"I want to adopt you boys," Professor repeated, "You're very strong, and I know you think that makes you invincible, but growing boys need a stable home in which to learn and develop good moral character."

"Sounds like a lotta sissy stuff," Butch balked, "We'll be fine out on our own."

"Perhaps you would be, but you'll be better off here," Professor replied; not giving up an inch, "What kind of life is it to sleep out in the cold, not knowing where your next meal is coming from? To have no one to rely on when you need help? Boys, I know this situation is not ideal, but I care about what happens to you. I'm willing to give you a chance, and my girls are willing to give you a chance. Shouldn't you be willing to give yourselves a chance at a fair shake in life?"

Butch just scoffed and threw his head back in a manner that said he was so done with this conversation, but Boomer stopped to consider the pros and cons of what this could actually mean for them.

"Hey, old guy?" Boomer addressed the professor, "Do you have Gatorade?"

"Huh?" The professor was a little thrown off by the random question, "Gatorade?"

"Yeah, when we was first born Mojo Jojo gave us Gatorade," Boomer recalled, "We threw some on him after we beat up the Powerpuff- oh. Never mind."

"Heh heh heh, I forgot about that. That was fun!" Butch cackled, "We was real good at bein' bad."

"Yeah, and then Mojo hugged us," Boomer added, "He said he was proud of us too."

"Well who wouldn't be? We're awesome!" Butch declared, but then after a moment reflected and said, "But then we failed. He didn't want us no more because we never destroyed those Powerpuke Girls. Huh. I guess you only get one chance for these kinds of things. My brain hurts!"

"Butch? Would it be so bad to give this place a try?" Boomer asked longingly, "If it doesn't work out we can just leave, right? I mean who's gonna stop us? Professor Punching Bag?"

"Uh, maybe don't call me that," Professor Utonium stammered nervously.

"You wanna live like a sissy girl?" Butch asked derisively, "What's wrong with you?"

"I just wanna eat cereal, play sports, and sleep in a bed like the kids on those billboard ads we fly by every day," Boomer defended his case, "It's not like we have to be the Powerpuff Girls' new best friends. We just don't break any of their stuff or start fights. Right, Professor?"

"That's right, Boomer," The professor replied encouragingly.

"Teacher's pet," Butch grumbled, "Err, alright fine! We'll try it! I mean, if livin' like we was livin' was enough to kill Brick, then maybe we've been doing it wrong. Maybe we can try...we can try...*gulp* being... _nice_."

Every word Butch said seemed to make him cringe, but say it he did. Boomer was distrustful of any new authority figure in his life, but part of him wanted to hope. He wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, this could be a new beginning for them. He could be wrong. The professor could be just as awful as Mojo, Him, and every other stupid incompetent adult he had ever met in his short life. Still, the least they could do was give this new arrangement a try and see where it led them.

* * *

Blossom sat in her room after the long day was for the most part done. The professor and her sisters were in the room down the hall showing the Rowdyruff Boys around. They were going to sleep in the guest bedroom, and Blossom just _knew_ they were probably going to try something to make their lives miserable. Oh well. Blossom understood why the professor let them have free run of the house. If he was going to build trust with the boys then he would have to prove he was willing to trust them.

Even though she knew she should be there to keep an eye on the boys Blossom just didn't feel up to it at the moment. She knew Buttercup and Bubbles could handle anything thrown at them, and she just needed to decompress from the day. She started by scrolling her social media pages, which managed to kill about 20 minutes. She had many people who followed her online since she was a Powerpuff Girl, but she didn't know most of these people so she didn't care about anything she was looking at.

Finally after a while curiosity got the better of her. She wondered if Snake had contacted her through the poetry website, so she checked it out. There were no new messages, but she saw that WildThing-HeartStrings had posted a new poem earlier that day. Blossom was surprised he had time what with leaving town and all, so she opened it to see what Wild Thing had written.

 _Soft Edges Around The Abyss_

 _By WildThing-HeartStrings_

 _Blood staining my hands_

 _It should be in my heart_

 _Eyes opened yet blind_

 _Darkness around_

 _The abyss, it ensnares me_

 _No way out_

 _I climb for release_

 _No way out_

 _I feel something solid_

 _Getting there_

 _My arms hurt and I'm tired_

 _Almost there_

 _I feel the barbed wire_

 _I fall down_

 _Back in the abyss_

 _No way out_

 _My blood mixes with the other_

 _I cry aloud_

 _No one hears me_

 _No way out_

 _I'm in too deep to get out_

 _The abyss is my home_

 _Now and forever_

 _My coffin slams shut_

 _I am alive yet I'm dead_

 _No way out_

 _I'm not alone in my suffering_

 _They're here too_

 _This blood is not mine_

 _Yet it is_

 _They grope in the darkness_

 _At the edge of the abyss_

 _The blood on my hands_

 _Gets on them_

 _The blood on their hands_

 _Gets on me_

 _The red merges with the green_

 _No way out_

 _We'll die alone yet together_

 _No way out_

Blossom read the poem, and at once it felt so familiar yet so strange. By now she was used to Wild Thing's writing style and could easily recognize the poem as one of his, yet now that she knew he was a member of the Gangreen Gang she couldn't look at the poem the same way anymore. Now she understood where it was coming from, especially this piece. This was written because Ace had been shot, which is why there was so much allusion to blood.

Blossom felt terrible for Snake, yet she didn't understand where this poem had come from. It sounded like someone who couldn't leave their bad circumstances, yet that was exactly what Snake had done. He was gone, far away from Townsville and the Gangreen Gang, yet this poem sounded like someone who was still very much embroiled in a toxic situation.

Thinking back to Wild Thing's other poems, Blossom started to notice a theme to them. The abyss was actually a common trope of Wild Thing's, going all the way back to the first poem of his she ever read. He also frequently talked about silence and a cruel uncaring world. He frequently used the imagery of being forced below the bottom of society, and now that Blossom understood he was a gang member she understood why.

 _Whenever Snake tried to say anything Ace would hit him..._ Blossom thought sadly. _No wonder he feels like he has no voice_.

EverythingNice98: Hey, are you available to talk?

Blossom waited a few minutes, thinking he wouldn't reply, but then...

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hey Blossom. You're lucky you caught me. I was just about to log off the hospital computer.

EverythingNice98: I just read your new poem. It's pretty good. I can really feel the pain in your words. Hey wait, did you say you're in the hospital?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Yeah, well, I just needed to release my thoughts before they drove me crazy. Besides, my friend won't stop complaining about jello. I know he's just doing it to get his mind off things, but I can only listen to jello talk for so long before I get hungry. Also yeah, I told you I was in the hospital. My friend Shades got shot, remember?

EverythingNice98: You mean Ace? Yeah, I know.

Grubber did a double take, and his curved fingers froze in front of the keyboard. Blossom _knew_ it was Ace? That meant...

WildThing-HeartStrings: So, you know who I am.

EverythingNice98: Of course I know. I just talked to you a few hours ago, remember?

WildThing-HeartStrings: No you didn't. I've been here at the hospital all day :P

EverythingNice98: Don't play games with me, Snake. I just saw you at the bus station leaving town. You don't have to hide from me. I understand why you had to leave.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Snake? Wait, you saw Snake? Aw, dude! He must be so confused! Pfft! That's hilarious!

EverythingNice98: Wait, you mean you're NOT Snake? Then who are you?

WildThing-HeartStrings: The tooth fairy :P

EverythingNice98: No, seriously. What is going on!? I know you're a member of the Gangreen Gang because Ace was the only shooting victim yesterday. Come on, you can tell me. I won't judge you. I just want to know the name of my

WildThing-HeartStrings: You hit the enter key by mistake. Your what?

Blossom had trouble typing it. She knew she shouldn't make herself vulnerable to someone that would likely take advantage of her. She knew the Gangreen Gang were a bunch of manipulative thugs, but at the same time even talking to him had already let that genie out of the bottle, so she might as well just take the plunge and spit it out.

EverythingNice98: My best friend.

Grubber looked at those words for a few seconds in disbelief. Her best friend? He knew that she and him had some intellectually stimulating conversations, and he had come to look forward to chatting with her every chance he got, but her best friend? He supposed with the gang around he never looked at it that way, but then he remembered how lonely the leader of the Powerpuff Girls had already admitted she was. She was too smart for school, too powerful for Townsville, and therefore isolated from everyone except her own family. Of course he was her best friend. He was her only friend.

WildThing-HeartStrings: I know this will probably disappoint you, but my full name is Grubber J Gribberish. You of course know me as Grubber, which surprisingly isn't a nickname. My parents were odd people :P

"Grubber?" Blossom found herself saying out loud.

Grubber was the last one she would have expected. Blossom probably would've guessed Big Billy before she guessed Grubber! When she thought about it though, she realized she never really looked at him on an individual level. He was just one of the Gangreen Gang, a dopey face with a long tongue that blended into the mesh of twisted humanity that was the gang. He rarely spoke and was always blowing raspberries at people. He was gross, and he was mean. Beyond that, she knew nothing about him.

Except she did, now. If Grubber was really Wild Thing, then she knew a lot about him. She knew he lost his family when he was young, she knew his poetry style was melancholic and didn't involve rhyming, and she knew he was weird. To be fair, it didn't take a genius to figure out Grubber was weird, but she didn't realize how fun that form of oddness could be until recently.

EverythingNice98: Grubber? I don't know what to say. I mean, I'm glad you told me, but it's just kind of a shock.

WildThing-HeartStrings: How do you think I felt when I first found out you were Blossom? I knew I was speaking to a child prodigy, but forming a companionable attachment to someone who frequently pounds you into guacamole is rather counterproductive to one's sanity.

EverythingNice98: LOL! You have a point there, I guess.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Blossom, are we still friends?

EverythingNice98: I guess so. I mean, I still want to be your friend if you still want to be my friend.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Good. With everything going the way it has I just need something normal in my life.

EverythingNice98: Me too. Did you hear about the Rowdyruff Boys? Boomer and Butch are moving in with us.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Was this voluntary or are they squatting in your house? :P

EverythingNice98: It was Bubbles' idea. They lost their brother and they need a place to stay. I'm not exactly happy about it, but if they can make a change for the better then it'll be worth the annoyance.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hm...Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys...You could be the Puffruff gang :P

EverythingNice98: No way! We're still superheroes, which is why we feel like it's our duty to help them. Fighting injustice isn't just about beating people up, after all.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Tell that to my droopy shoulder that Buttercup dislocated three years ago :P

EverythingNice98: Sorry about that ^_^'

WildThing-HeartStrings: You know I'm just fooling around. I know you and your sisters are young. Your definition of justice is going to evolve as you grow older and more experienced. Let's just say it's been terrifying to watch that happen though :P

EverythingNice98: Grubber, can I ask you something? Why don't you talk like a normal person? Why do you blow raspberries to talk, and how does your gang understand you?

Blossom watched the bottom of the screen indicating that Grubber was typing. She hoped she didn't touch a nerve by asking that question, but she had always been curious about that. The police could never question Grubber because he just blew raspberries. It didn't seem possible to form a language out of that, and Blossom wanted to know how that worked.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Due to my monster genes on my mother's side, I'm not built like everybody else. My spine curves funny and it presses on my tongue and larynx since my tongue is so large. I breathe through my nose mostly. I can stand up straight and speak normally for a few seconds at a time, but it hurts to do so. I developed my own secret language when I was living on my own, and as for how the gang understands...I guess we've just spent so much time together that they know me that well. They didn't used to always know what I was trying to say, and those times were rough. They were patient with me though, especially Billy. Billy might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he has more patience than I've ever seen in a human being before. Well, unless food is involved :P

EverythingNice98: Wow, I didn't know that. So you're half monster? Is every member of the gang half monster?

WildThing-HeartStrings: No. Ace and Arturo are both completely human. Snake, Billy, and myself are partially monster. Snake is one quarter monster on his paternal grandmother's side, and I don't really know if Billy is half or full monster. He doesn't know either since he forgot what his parents look like. He was five when they abandoned him, and his memory from that time period is fuzzy. None of us had great home lives, though I think I'm the luckiest because at least my family loved me, warts and all. Snake and Ace actually have quite a bit in common, since they were both beaten as children. Snake ran away from his family, and Ace was taken by the state and placed from one foster family to another before he got sick of the whole thing. Like I said, none of us had it great.

EverythingNice98: What about Lil' Arturo?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Well...don't tell him I told you because he still doesn't like to talk about it, but have you ever heard of the strangling death of Francesco Del Toro?

EverythingNice98: Arturo's dad was strangled to death? O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: No. You see, Francesco Del Toro was an infamous member of a drug cartel known as Las Hermanos Fuegos. Del Toro was going to turn state's witness against the gang's leader, Arturo "Macho" De La Guerra. Macho found where the cops were hiding him and strangled him before chopping up the body and sending pieces to the police to taunt them.

EverythingNice98: That's disgusting! Lil' Arturo's dad was a murderer?

Wild thing-HeartStrings: It was a little before your time, but his trial was all over the news when they caught him. He was sentenced to death, and he's still on death row. He's scheduled for the chair next year. Lil' Arturo loved his Papi and he doesn't like to talk about it. Macho's not held in Townsville prison since apparently the walls are made of toilet paper. Seriously, even I've been able to break out of that place, and I have the upper body strength of a willow tree! Pfft! :P

EverythingNice98: Well, that explains why we have to keep putting criminals back in there I guess.

WildThing-HeartStrings: The county jail got smart though and started using reinforced steel on the inside of the plaster. Big Billy still can't get out, which is a shame. This time he's only there because of a misunderstanding. A checker thought Billy had come to rob the place, but he was only checking on Snake. The judge won't believe Billy though. He has a record as long as a tape measure and a public defender with the ink still drying on his law degree.

EverythingNice98: But it was only attempted robbery. They'll probably let him go for time served.

WildThing-HeatStrings: Maybe. I hope so. I hope they don't get him for anything else. I know you don't think much of my gang, and I understand that, but Billy isn't a bad person. He's just impulsive and readily takes orders from Ace. Frankly Blossom, Billy has the mind of a child, and it probably isn't going to get any better. He still watches Blarney for crying out loud!

EverythingNice98: Blarney? Even Bubbles outgrew that a year ago!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Indeed. I know every episode by heart because I'm the only one willing to watch that insipid show with Billy. To be fair though, it is funny that they think a scare chord is endearing to small children. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! XD

Grubber and Blossom continued chatting about mundane topics, and for a moment both of them felt better. Grubber worried about how long this friendship could last though. He wished on some level that he could type the words "You changed my life and I'm going straight" but he couldn't do that. He and the boys were broke and unemployable, which meant they would probably steal and cause trouble for the rest of their lives. He hoped once Ace got better he would get rid of the gun, but even that was a long shot. He just hoped Blossom could put up with a bad influence for a while, and that they could stay best friends.


	12. Homecoming

_Author's Notes: This is actually a bit of a detour chapter for the fic. I decided to focus this chapter on Snake, because I felt like there was something to explore there, both in terms of how he ended up in a gang and where he's going now that he shot Ace. We'll get back to the main Blossom and Grubber story in the next chapter, but I couldn't leave this one lay. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please review if you feel like it :)_

* * *

Chapter 12

Homecoming

The bus dropped Snake off at the corner of Patridge Ave and Delaney St in Citysburg. He would have to walk two blocks to get to where he was really going, and he would have to watch his back on the way there. There were other gangs to look out for in Townsville, but in Citysburg it was more a general crime problem that Snake would have to navigate if he didn't want to get robbed or killed.

He rolled his suitcase along the crack-riddled sidewalk and flinched at every unfamiliar sound. He heard a dog knock over a trash can and nearly jumped out of his skin! Snake picked up his pace, knowing where he was going yet dreading the moment he finally got there. So many memories ran through his head, and yet not one of them was pleasant.

He remembered his dad getting drunk after a rough day at work. He remembered his mom yelling at him for his bad grades. He remembered them fighting with each other, and then his dad beating him when they saw he was watching them beat each other. His dad had hands like bricks, and his mom did nothing to stop the abuse. Both of his parents were perfectionists, and they often reminded him of how _imperfect_ he looked and acted.

It all came to a head when Snake was 12 years old. His dad physically threw him out of the house after he got detention for painting graffiti on the outside of the school. His dad had yelled at him to not come back until he learned some manners. Needless to say he never went back.

That led to the next stream of unwanted memories in Snake's mind. Memories of eating out of the garbage, of begging on the street until he had enough money for bus fare out of Citysburg, of arriving in Townsville, and of... _that_ day.

Sanford, as he had been called back then, had been on his own for three weeks, and he already looked disheveled and defeated. He had lost 10 lbs and was living off whatever scraps he could find in dumpsters. Townsville was just as infested with crime as Citysburg, but at least his parents wouldn't be able to find him there. It was a cold winter day in Townsville and it was snowing. Snake didn't have a proper coat and thought he would freeze to death any day now.

The miserable preteen sat on a street corner with crumpled newspaper in his shirt and pants to try to keep warm. He had a cardboard sign that read 'Please Help'. He didn't trust himself to talk to pedestrians because his lisp was always worse when he was cold or nervous. People kept passing him by. Most didn't even seem to notice the skinny green boy with his crudely written sign.

Finally someone saw him, but it wasn't the kind of attention he wanted.

"Hey, you!" A cop shouted at Sanford, "Yeah, you! You know the law! No panhandling in Townsville."

"I, uh, didn't know thatss," Sanford said through shivering breaths, "I..."

"Oh, a wise guy, eh?" The unsympathetic cop asked as he grabbed Sanford by the arm and dragged him toward the police car, "Well maybe a night in the cooler will teach you how to respect authority."

"Cooler?" Sanford gasped, "But it'ssss already sssso cold!"

Of course the 'cooler' the police officer was referring to was the county jail. Despite his small size the cop didn't realize Sanford was underage. Not that it would have mattered. Townsville PD had a quota for arrests and the little green beggar was an easy target.

Sanford was frightened as the barred cell door slammed in his face, and he was afraid to turn around to see if there were any big scary inmates ready to beat him up or stab him or something. Gulping silently, the boy reluctantly turned to see who was there, and there happened to be one other person.

Sanford's cellmate was green and lanky, just like him. This guy was probably a kid too, but he sure was tall. And he was smirking at him. That did not seem like a good sign given the circumstances.

"Looks like Officer O'Malley got you too, huh?" The new guy asked before chuckling at some inside joke Sanford didn't understand, "Yeah, he hates green people. He thinks we're diseased."

"I wasss jussst-!" Sanford tried to defend himself.

"Save it. It doesn't matter," The other kid cut him off, "You coulda been feedin' the hungry and O'Malley would've still found somethin' to arrest you for. Name's Ace, by the way."

"I'm Sssanford," The boy introduced himself shyly.

"Yikes, your parents must've hated you!" Ace joked.

"Isss it _that_ obviousss?" Sanford asked miserably.

"Oh, I was just jokin' about your name," Ace replied apologetically, "I didn't know you uh...so uh, did they kick you out?"

"Kind of," Sanford replied as he hung his head and tried to hide behind his large hat, "Ssso...what are you in fors?"

"Shopliftin'," Ace shrugged, "I stole some candy bars and a bag of pretzels. Guess I should've checked to make sure the clerk wasn't watchin' me. I usually don't get caught."

"You sssteal?" Sanford asked in surprise.

"Uh, _duh_! We're in jail, not the library!" Ace replied sarcastically, "Gee, you think the criminal might be a criminal. Got any other observations, Sherlock?"

"Hey! It'sss been a ssstresssful day for me!" Sanford snapped irritably, "I'm jusssst trying not to sssstarve and freezzze to death!"

"You know you look and sound like a snake when you get angry," Ace casually observed, "That's pretty cool. I always liked snakes."

"Really? Mossst kidss make fun of me for how I sssound," Sanford admitted sadly.

"Eh, it ain't that big a deal," Ace shrugged, "It could be worse. At least you don't got fangs like I do. The kids at my last group home called me Count Stinkula."

"Group home? Ssso you're a fossster kid?" Sanford asked curiously.

"Yeah. I ran away a few months ago. I lost track of how long ago exactly," Ace said, his tone subdued compared to a moment ago, "My parents were meth heads. My old man would get hopped up on the stuff and either try to invent the greatest thing ever or else punch and claw at me like he was a tiger tryin' to eat me. The old lady wasn't much better. I don't think she had a vein left that wasn't collapsed, and they often forgot I was there. The cops finally noticed and took me away, but the foster homes aren't better. They mostly do it for the check when you're an older kid, and the last one had a house that includin' me had 9 kids in it. I had to sleep on the floor, and I figure I could do that outside by myself. At least then I'll have some elbow room. So, I left, and I ain't never goin' back."

"I'm ssso hungry," Sanford hissed softly as he hugged himself and leaned against the wall, "There'sss never enough food on your own. I should probably jussst go back to Cccitysssburg and beg my parentsss to take me back."

"Nuh-uh, you ain't doin' that," Ace protested, and Sanford looked up at him with a lost expression, "You said yourself they kicked you out and left you in the cold. So, who needs 'em? I got a better idea. I say we join forces and work together to get all the food we want!"

"But hows?" Sanford asked helplessly.

"Easy, we go into convenience stores and supermarkets together," Ace replied with an impish smirk, "One of us does the stealin', and the other one acts as a lookout. Then neither of us will get caught, and neither of us will starve. We'll be best friends. Green kids gotta stick together right, Snake?"

Snake smiled then for the first time in weeks. He'd never had a friend before, and he'd definitely never had anyone watching his back. The lost little beggar was sure he was dreaming, and just when Ace already seemed too good to be true he did one better; he pulled a candy bar out of the inside of his vest.

"They only checked the outside pockets," Ace explained with a wink, "We can split this for now, and later we can hit up a different store."

Snake took half of the chocolate bar, and from then on their friendship and eventual partnership as gang members was cemented.

* * *

Snake's mind reeled from remembering that first encounter. He had been at his lowest point when he and Ace found each other. Even then Ace was always thinking up plans for dishonest gain. It didn't take long after they started hanging out for Ace to start punching Snake, but since that was all Snake had ever known he just assumed that was what friendship was. For several years it seemed worth a few uppercuts to have a gang to look out for him and a place to stay. Now he wondered if Ace had saved his life or ruined it. Maybe he did both. Maybe Snake could have never had a better life than this.

Now Snake looked up at the destination he had finally reached, a quaint brick townhouse with light shining through the gossamer thin lace curtains in the windows. He took a deep breath and his grip tightened on his suitcase. This was it. He just had to go up the two little steps and knock on the door. He could do this...but he still wondered if he should.

After three sound knocks Snake waited to see if anyone would come to the door. For all he knew someone else could live there now. He could have come all this way for nothing. Maybe there was nothing waiting for him in Citysburg but death; either by his own hand or someone else's.

After what felt like hours but was actually only a minute the door opened, and an aging woman with short salt and pepper hair and a scarred lip and eyebrow regarded him. The two of them were silent for an awkward moment, but then finally...

"Hi, Mama," Snake whispered in the too-quiet night air.

"Sanford," The older woman said neutrally, and Snake wasn't sure if she was happy or upset to see him.

"Mama...may I pleassse come in?" Snake asked humbly, "Isss Dad here too?"

The old woman's face softened then, and the guarded expression was replaced by one of intense sadness.

"Come in, Sanford," She finally said, "Oh, but please don't sit on anything until you shower. You stink."

Snake nodded compliantly, remembering how blunt and analytical his mother could be. The house was immaculate, and he was struck by how many items seemed unchanged as he walked through the hall into the living room. The lace doilies were still on the twin tables on either side of the plastic covered mauve couch. The dining room beyond still had the dark wood table and chair set. The only thing that looked different was the TV, which was a nice big flat screen now.

"I was just clearing the table when you came by," His mother commented, "So you just missed dinner. I can reheat something for you if you like."

"Do you have any vegetable sssoup like you usssed to make?" Snake asked hopefully.

"I haven't made that in years," She replied offhandedly, "I think I have the ingredients though. You need to get cleaned up first. Oh, and I'll take your clothes. They're filthy. I'll run them through the laundry while you're in the shower."

"Won't that ssscrew with the water presssure?" Snake asked skeptically.

"Maybe, but I wasn't asking you, I was telling you. Take a shower!" She shouted firmly, and Snake practically ran up the stairs.

Snake stopped when he got to the top of the stairs and caught his breath. If he was expecting a warm welcome where his mother cried and hugged him, then he was sorely disappointed. It wasn't all bad though. He was just grateful she invited him inside and offered him food and a place to get cleaned up. He had yet to see his father, which meant he probably wasn't home from work yet.

As Snake walked toward the bathroom he passed by a closed door where his old bedroom used to be. He was curious to see whether his parents had kept it the way he left it. He heard on the news all the time that when parents miss their children they refuse to even touch or go near their bedrooms. He opened the door and turned on the light, only to be greeted by the sight of a home gym. There were barbells, an exercise bike, and a treadmill. There was also another large flat screen TV. Snake sighed, not surprised but still disappointed. His parents forgot all about him after he ran away.

Snake showered quickly so that he wouldn't have to deal with low water pressure thanks to the washing machine. When he got out he wrapped himself in a beach towel that surprisingly he remembered from when he was a kid. Yeesh, did his parents ever throw _anything_ anyway?

He went back downstairs to see if the soup was ready. He saw his mother stirring the large pot and he could smell the steak bits and vegetables cooking. That soup was the best thing she made, and one of the best memories Snake had of his childhood. He just hoped his dad wouldn't come home until after he'd had a chance to eat.

"Mama?" Snake called out when he entered the kitchen.

"Oh! Sanford, you scared me!" His mother exclaimed, "Your footsteps never made noise when you were a child, either. Your clothes still aren't ready yet. If you need something to wear you can grab some of your father's clothes out of the drawer in the master bedroom. They're too big, but it's better than nothing."

"Dad won't like that," Snake replied nervously, "I don't want to upssset him."

"You won't, now get dressed," His mother commanded.

Snake never disobeyed his mother, so he did as he was told and ascended the stairs once again to find clean clothes. He felt like he was regressing by being in this house. All the years of being in Townsville and being in the Gangreen Gang seemed to melt away, and now instead of being a 24 year old man he was a 10 year old kid walking on eggshells around his mom and waiting for dinner. At the same time though it didn't feel exactly right. It felt like he was a guest instead of her son. It had been almost 12 years since he laid eyes on this house, half his lifetime ago, and he didn't know how to feel about returning after all that time.

When Snake came back down the stairs he was wearing a blue plaid shirt that hung from his body and blue jeans with a belt strapped around his waist as tight as it would go. Snake father was much bigger around the middle than Snake, and wearing his clothes made it all the more obvious. Snake's mother motioned for him to sit down at the table, and once he did she brought a bowl and dipped him up some soup.

The next few minutes were spent in silence as Snake ate the first home cooked meal he'd had in who knows how long. His mother didn't interrupt his meal with idle chatter, but rather busied herself with dusting the furniture in the living room and dining room. He then noticed her remove the plastic cover from the couch and pull off the cushions and pillows. She then pulled out the mattress contained within the couch, effectively making a guest bed for Snake. She soon noticed that Snake was staring.

"Well, I assume if you're here then it's because you need a place to crash," She deduced, "I'm sorry all I have is the couch bed, but you're more than welcome to it. I look forward to hearing about how your life has gone, Sanford."

"I sssaw my old room," Snake said with a hint of bitterness, "I guesss you wanted yo forget about the _disssfigured_ kid that lived in it."

"Yes, well, your father wanted a place to work out," His mother reluctantly replied, "I'm sorry to say he broke and threw away most of your things the day you left. I wasn't really able to save much, but I do have some of your old childhood drawings locked away in a drawer somewhere."

"Hmph," Snake grunted, not willing to forgive and forget yet not willing to say anything that would jeopardize his chance at getting a bed for the night.

His mother sighed deeply and said "I don't know what you expect from me. You never once called or contacted us. I filed a missing person's report, but the police didn't take it seriously because you were a runaway. And now you come back from the dead, a grown man with a scowling barely shaved face and clothes that look like they've never seen the inside of a washing machine. I don't know what you want from me. Do you need money? Is that it? Are you in trouble? Did you lose whatever home you had and now need to stay here until you can find a job? Sanford, why are you here after all this time?"

"I almossst killed a man," Snake hissed, and felt a grim satisfaction at the way his mother froze, "That'sss right. I shot sssomeone. I'm here to hide. Maybe now Dad will think twiccce before decking me acrosss the jaw."

"Why, Sanford?" His mother asked in an almost patient tone, "Why did you almost kill a man?"

Snake had not expected the question to be asked in that way. He expected shock, he expected fear, and he expected her to scream at him to leave her house. Instead she gave him a steady gaze that said she was listening, and that she would hear him out no matter how disturbing his words became to her.

"Well Mama...My friend Accce beatsss me. All the time," Snake hesitantly began, "We gots into a fight. I shot him...with hisss own gun. I jusst wanted to ssscare him...at firssst. Then he looked at me with that sssmug sssmile. He _dared_ me to do it, and for oncce I jussst wanted to wipe that sssmile off his faccce. He'll probably live, but that doesssn't erassse the guilt. I need to sstay here until I get back on my feets. Pleasse let me sstay, Mama. I promissse to sstay out of Dad'ss way."

"Oh, Sanford..."

Snake closed his eyes, ready for the verbal lashing he knew was coming. She would say she was disappointed in him. She would say he was a monster and that she always knew he would turn out this way. She would wonder why she ever gave birth to him if he was just going to grow up to be a killer and a thug. She would say his dad was right to demand an abortion, and that she was wrong for refusing.

Instead, he felt her arms around her, and opened his eyes to realize she was hugging him! She never hugged him. The only time he could remember her ever hugging him was when he was 6 years old and broke his arm falling off a jungle gym. He had been screaming and crying, and she hugged him to make him feel better. Now she was hugging him again, and he didn't understand why this was her reaction to finding out what a horrible person her son had become.

"Mama?" Snake croaked out, not able to say anything else.

"Shh shh shh, it's okay baby..." His mother said soothingly as she pressed her head against his and rocked him back and forth with her arms, "I know it hurts. You did what you had to do. You came back alive. That's all that matters. You can stay here as long as you want to, dear. Don't you worry."

"I...don't underssstand," Snake whispered in bewilderment.

His mother let go then and sat down in the chair next to his. She grabbed his hands in hers and looked him in the eye. Snake felt comforted by this, but also a little weirded out. His mother was always a harpy and a perfectionist that wanted a better son than him. So why was she suddenly so supportive and caring now?

"Sanford, there's something we need to talk about," His mother said solemnly, and Snake knew this was going to be something big, "Three years ago, Buford died."

"Dad'sss dead?" Snake gasped, "Wasss it hisss heart?"

"Of course not, your father was healthy as a horse," His mother replied as if offended by the very notion of an illness, "No no, dear. You see, three years ago your father spent the morning drinking, as he often did on his days off."

"I remember," Snake growled.

"Well, I went to the store that day," His mother continued, "I spent four hours away from home due to the traffic and the long lines at the bulk food store. Meanwhile your father drank until he ran out of beer. Honestly by the end I assume he did more than just drink, but I never asked him. I didn't really want to know. Anyway, when I returned home he started yelling at me because I didn't bring any beer home. I told him he had beer when I left and if he couldn't control himself that was his fault. I suppose that was the wrong thing to say, because then he cracked me across the chops. He started trying to strangle me, and I kicked him in the fellas."

Snake subconsciously put his hands in his lap upon hearing that part.

"Anyway, your father and I tussled as we often did when he got too hammered. To be honest, it's probably good you left home when you did, because as the years went on his behavior got worse and worse. The fight went on for a few minutes before we found ourselves in the kitchen, and then Buford pulled out a knife and said 'I'm going to kill you!'"

"What did you do, Mama?" Snake asked in concern.

"He's dead, isn't he? What do you think I did?" Snake's mother asked dryly, "He threw me to the ground, but before he could stab me I slid between his legs. I then grabbed our deboning knife off the counter and quickly jabbed it into his back to keep him from attacking me. When I saw what I had done to him I panicked. It was like I had been released from a trance."

"That'sss how it wasss with me!" Snake exclaimed, "It wasss like watching sssomeone elssse shoot Accce. Then when I sssaw then blood..."

"The blood was what brought me around, too," His mother confessed, "I called 911 immediately, and they managed to get him to the hospital, but two days later he died of complications. The death was ruled self-defense so I was never convicted of anything, but my neighbors never trusted me after that. Now I just stay here mostly and live off your late father's pension checks. Sanford, I know the pain of being forced to kill someone you care about. I wish I could say it gets easier, but it didn't for me. All I can say is I'm so relieved that you're alive and that I have another chance to give you what you need. I hope someday we can both heal from this...son."

Snake couldn't contain it any longer. Everything was hitting him at once. Ace could still die, and his mother killed his father. His dad was dead, and his home wasn't his home anymore. Not the junkyard, not the townhouse, not wherever the Gangreen Gang lived right now. There was no place for Snake, but maybe there could be. With all these thoughts in mind, Snake broke down sobbing and grabbed his mother in a hug. She hugged him back and let him cry on her shoulder.

"Shh...it's alright baby," She murmured softly, "You're safe now...you're home."


	13. Lost Boys Part 1

_Author's Notes: Well...I kind of went off the rails with this one. This is the longest chapter in the fic thus far, and it's only part 1. I have so many ideas, but I couldn't fit everything into this chapter so I just took my time with half of it. This part is mostly flashbacks, but part 2 takes place mostly in the present day. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter :)_

* * *

Chapter 13

Lost Boys

Part 1

It was drizzling outside as Grubber walked from the sandwich shop on his way back to the hospital. His bare feet splashed in the puddles on the sidewalk, and Grubber allowed himself to smile at the feeling. Ace had been in the hospital for a week, and he was recovering remarkably fast; so much so that Grubber wondered if Ace had lied about having no monster heritage. Ace still hadn't woken up yet, and Grubber decided that he and Arturo had been eating disgusting hospital food long enough, so he snuck into a sandwich shop and made two footlongs; leaving without paying before anyone could notice him.

As Grubber walked past the condemned house they had been squatting in he noticed that the door had been broken off its hinges. Someone had broken into their hideout! Grubber knew he shouldn't go in there alone, but the gang's possessions and life savings was in that house, so he had to go in there to defend their dilapidated fortress.

He entered cautiously, hugging the plastic bag full of sandwiches so it wouldn't make any noise. It still crinkled every now and then, and Grubber mentally cursed how trying to be quiet could make every sound seem louder than ever.

He walked down the hall, not seeing anyone. He checked every room, but nothing was disturbed. Ace's dried blood was even still on the floor in his room, which made the old house seem even spookier. Grubber bit down on his extended tongue and stayed quiet as he continued to explore. Then suddenly he got a hunch, and knew that he should go down to the basement. He had a guess as to what was going on.

Grubber saw the basement door was open where it hadn't been before, and tiptoed downstairs to see if his suspicion was correct. He turned on a light and sure enough, he was right.

Big Billy was asleep on the floor on a bunch of old blankets that served as a pallet of sorts for the large man. He broke most mattresses rather quickly, so everybody agreed that it wasn't worth the effort to bring back any more of them. Blankets served the same purpose.

Grubber smiled at how peaceful Billy looked. Grubber supposed that Billy had been released from jail after the charges were dropped, and he was so glad to see his friend resting safely at home. Grubber had to get back to the hospital to give Arturo his sandwich, but he knew Billy would be hungry after his long trip back, so Grubber placed his own sandwich next to Billy's sleeping form and snuck back out of the room. He would return for Billy in a little bit.

As Grubber left the house and continued his trek to the hospital he couldn't help but think about how little had changed about Billy since they'd met. So much about the gang was different, mostly due to growing up, but it seemed like Billy never grew up. He got older, but he never grew up. Grubber was always looking after Billy, but if he were being honest with himself, Billy had probably saved _him_ all those years ago...

* * *

The condo reeked of death. Little Grubber, age 8 years old, was at the end of his rope. His beloved grandmama had died of pneumonia some time ago, and little Grubber was left in the rented condo with her body for the past couple weeks. He was afraid to go outside. The city of Townsville was one of the most crime infested cities in the world. That was why his dad had brought them here in the first place, to write a story about the crime and how gritty and dangerous Townsville is. The city was so dangerous that his dad had been killed out there during a shootout. If Grubber went outside, he would die just like his dad.

He missed his home in Mann. He missed playing out in the green grass and in the mud. He missed his parents. He missed his grandmama's toothless smile and listening ear. He didn't speak well due to his overly large tongue, but his family never made him feel bad about it. They listened, even when he had nothing much to say.

Little Grubber remembered one day just deciding to randomly blow raspberries at people. His aunts and uncles thought he was just being a brat, but his grandmama patiently asked him what he was doing.

"M-m-ma-king a new lan-goo-age!" Little Grubber had proudly declared.

"Oh? Well that's very smart, Grubber," His grandmama had replied with a warm smile.

Most of Grubber's relatives thought he should try to stand up straight more often since he talked better when he did, but it hurt too much to do that. His dad understood though. His mom was a monster, so his dad knew Grubber wouldn't be normal. It didn't matter to them though, because Grubber was a gifted, fun, silly little boy.

Now that Grubber was alone in a stinky condo with no food he really missed the love and attention he got from his family. He would even take his aunts and uncles yelling at him if it meant he got to go home. Townsville wouldn't help him though. They hated monsters, and everybody was mean. Most of them probably killed people for fun, and Grubber's childlike imagination conjured up worse and worse scenarios.

He couldn't stay here though. He had eaten everything in the fridge and he couldn't reach the cupboard. There was water in the sink, but Grubber couldn't live off water. His grandmama's body was decomposing pretty badly, to the point that liquid had started to leak out of her. He couldn't even look in her direction anymore.

Grubber wanted to cry, but his eyes bulged out so far that his tear ducts didn't work right. He had to do something to save himself, and he had to do it quickly.

Steeling himself for what was to come, Grubber rummaged through his grandmama's purse and pulled out all her money. He also took a few odds and ends and shoved them in the pockets of his denim overalls. Grubber stank, he looked like something out of a body horror film, and he had no plan, but nonetheless he was going to venture forth into the unforgiving dragon's lair known as Townsville.

* * *

The first day had been the hardest. Grubber walked to the beach to try to find some food. There was a hot dog stand and an ice cream kiosk. He just hoped he had enough money for that stuff. He didn't really know what American money was worth or even how to make change, so this would all be a new experience for him.

He walked up to the ice cream stand first, but when the ice cream man saw little Grubber his eyes went wide with terror.

"Ec-scuse mee," Grubber said slowly to make sure he said it right, "I want some ice-"

"A MONSTER!" The ice cream man screamed, "Help! Police! A monster! AAAHH!"

The man then ran away, and several beach goers likewise fled in a panic. Grubber felt hurt by their rejection at first, but then he realized they left the ice cream unguarded. Using his dirty bare hand to scoop up some pistachio ice cream, he gulped it all down in one bite and then licked around his lips happily.

The same thing pretty much happened with the hot dog man, but then Grubber saw the police coming to look for him and ran away. He hid under the pier behind a big rock, and he managed to escape the nosy cops. Having eaten his fill, Grubber contented himself with watching the ocean and drawing designs in the sand.

That pier soon became his home. It was a place to escape both sunburn and people. As time went on he became sneakier about how he stole food from kiosks and tourists. Over time the rare sightings of Grubber gave way to kids telling each other scary stories about the beach troll. Kids believed the beach troll ate human flesh and had evil powers. Grubber would laugh every time he overheard some stupid little brat talk about him like that.

Grubber lived under that pier for 4 years by himself, and in that time he became more feral and less human. He would have entire conversations with himself in his own secret raspberry language, his hunch grew worse without corrective braces, and he moved less like a boy and more like an ape. He smelled of salt water and overheated unwashed flesh. He didn't have direct contact with people anymore, and thus became more and more selfish in his isolation.

He wasn't stupid though. He loved finding books left behind on the beach so he could have something to read, and he sometimes listened to music when someone left their CD player behind on their beach towel. Grubber had been shunned by society, yet there was still a part of him that craved culture and craved human contact. Little did he know that at age 12 he would finally get his wish in an unexpected way.

...

It was late at night and Grubber was almost asleep. He shifted his body in the cool gritty sand and rubbed his head against the Ninja Turtles beach towel he had stolen a week prior for a pillow. He didn't have a blanket anymore since the wind took his last one, and he was feeling rather cold in the night air.

Perhaps that discomfort prevented him from sleeping, or perhaps he simply felt like thinking, but for whatever reason he was still barely awake that night. His half-asleep state would be interrupted however when he heard a car pulling up to the beach parking lot. It wasn't that unusual for couples to park to make out, so Grubber ignored it. Well, he _did_ , until...

"No! _You can't go!_ " He heard a loud childlike voice yell, "I didn't mean it! Whatever I did I didn't mean it!"

"Shut up, you good for nothing halfwit!" A gruff voice yelled back.

Well, Grubber wasn't going to be able to sleep now, so he might as well listen in. He crawled up the pier and ducked behind a surfboard poking out of the ground to see what was going on. There was a couple standing there arguing, and a very fat boy screaming and crying at them.

"You sure this'll work?" A woman asked the gruff man Grubber had heard before, "What if social services checks on him?"

"A monster kid? Bah! They don't care," The man scoffed, "Look, this tub of lard eats up the welfare check before the month is even out. The only way we can make a profit is to get rid of him and keep collecting the money. Let's go."

The fat kid didn't hear or understand them as he was too busy crying, but Grubber heard everything. These lowlives were going to abandon a child for money. Grubber didn't understand how they got money or why this kid would prevent them from getting it, but he understood enough to know what kind of life this would mean for the kid. It was the same life Grubber was living now.

"Wait, Mommy! Daddy!" The kid cried as he held out his arms for them.

"We ain't your parents, you retard!" The man snapped, and the kid backed down and whimpered, "Now stay here and stop crying! It's embarrassing."

The couple then got back in their sedan, and when it started up that seemed to trigger the boy. The car tried to take off, but the large boy grabbed the bumper and held on for all he was worth! Grubber had never seen anything like it. The car couldn't leave!

"Wait, don't go! _Don't go!_ _I'm sorry_!" The boy screamed as he held on for dear life.

The man stepped on the gas and the car managed to take off, but the bumper ripped off and was still in the boy's hands. He looked down at it in horror and then threw it away before plopping down on the ground and crying some more.

Grubber turned away and was going to go back under his pier. This wasn't his problem. That kid had nothing to do with Grubber and would probably get scared and run from him just like everybody else. Grubber was a monster and had no business interfering with the normies.

Wait, _monster_. Those scumbags had called the little fat kid a monster. They were leaving him here because they thought he was abnormal. Grubber cringed, not wanting to get involved and scare the distraught boy worse than he already was. Then again, where would Grubber be right now if just one person had cared about him? Would he still sleep in sand and eat out of the trash? Probably not.

Reluctantly Grubber found himself walking toward the boy, and when he got close enough to really see him through the darkness he could tell that this kid was _huge_. He was as tall as two Grubbers, and about as wide too. He was still crying, so Grubber touched his shoulder to get his attention.

"Daddy?" The kid asked hopefully, but then saw Grubber, "AHH! The beach troll!"

Grubber facepalmed, knowing this was probably the reaction he was going to get. _Of course_ the kid was scared, everyone was afraid of him!

"Uh, Mr. Beach Troll..." The kid's voice wavered as he spoke to Grubber, "Dah, I know this is your part of the beach, but can I stay here a little longer please? My new mommy and daddy might come back."

New? It was worse than Grubber thought. Those people were the child's adoptive parents, which meant his real ones either died or didn't want him either. It was everything Grubber feared would happen to him when he first got stuck in Townsville. Grubber looked up at the boy with a pitying expression, and then noticed that the boy had only one eye. So, he really was a monster child.

"Dah, you don't really eat little kids, right Mr. Troll?" The boy asked apprehensively.

"Pfft!" Grubber replied as he shook his head no.

"Hah hah hah! You're funny!" The boy laughed goodnaturedly, "My name's Billy. Everyone calls me Big Billy. I don't know why."

Grubber then started pulling and contorting himself by his head, and Billy gasped when he saw Grubber straighten up and shape himself into an almost normal looking 12 year old.

"Greetings Billy. My name is Grubber, and I'm so pleased to make your acquaintance," Grubber then reverted back to his normal self and went "Pfft!"

"Bahahahaha! You're funny, Grubber!" Billy laughed heartily, and Grubber was glad to see he wasn't crying anymore, "Hey, Grubber? Can I stay with you? I don't think they're coming back."

Grubber was surprised by how quickly this kid could change gears. One moment he was distraught that his family left him, and then next he was perfectly willing to forget his pain and make a new friend. Grubber admired that kind of resilience, as it reminded him of himself. Grubber extended his hand to shake Billy's, but Billy just grabbed him in a crushing hug instead!

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" Billy exclaimed as he shook Grubber back and forth while hugging him, "Billy will be your best friend forever and ever! Billy love Grubber! Billy grateful for Grubber!"

"Pfft..." Grubber feebly said as he struggled for breath.

"Oh. Sorry," Billy said sheepishly as he let Grubber down.

* * *

For the next few months it was just Grubber and Billy. Grubber tried to teach Billy how to sneak around and steal, but Billy was just so...obvious. He was big, he was loud, and he took a long time to understand basic concepts. Grubber didn't give up on Billy, but rather changed tactics. Instead of teaching Billy to sneak he would instead use Billy as a distraction while Grubber snuck around and stole food for them both.

This method didn't make them rich, but it kept them fed. Billy could eat more than anyone Grubber had ever seen, and it made it hard for Grubber to be able to feed himself. Grubber didn't regret taking Billy in though, because for the first time in years someone else cared whether Grubber lived or died. Billy would do anything Grubber said, took the time to learn his language even though it was hard for him, and would hurt anyone or anything that threatened them. These two strange looking boys didn't have a lot in common, but somehow they complemented each other.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long, if these could even be called good times. One day Billy was pretending he got stung by a jellyfish (a common distraction ploy) when three teenagers noticed Grubber making his way to the hot dog cart. Normally other people were afraid of Grubber's frightful appearance, but these kids were apparently immune to his grotesque manner.

"Hey, ugly!" One of the bigger kids called out to Grubber, "Yeah, you! You must be the _beach troll_. You know how we handle monsters like you in Townsville? Huh?"

"Pfft pbfft pff," Grubber guessed.

"Wuh? You making fun of us, you little freak?" The boy asked roughly as he pushed Grubber back into the sand.

Grubber got up to fight, but then noticed he was surrounded by four more boys. There were now five of them, and only one of him. Yep, he was probably gonna die.

"Hey, leave Grubber alone!" Billy shouted angrily to the mob of teens.

"Pfft! Pfft pffbt!" Grubber warned Billy not to get any closer.

"Huh, so you're working with the tubby monster," Another boy said snidely, "So it looks like we can pound Quasimodo and Shrek in one go."

"Dah, which one am I?" Billy asked obliviously.

If Grubber could roll his eyes he would. Poor Billy didn't understand the trouble they were in, but Grubber at least had hope that Billy was strong enough to save himself. He just wished he could convince the big oaf to leave him behind.

Billy threw one of the kids away from Grubber, and the people who saw what was happening screamed that a monster was attacking some poor innocent boys. Grubber hated normal people and how they assumed other normal people were naturally good. It was so annoying.

Billy charged for the other boys, but since they knew he was coming they were able to jump him. Billy struggled against the other boys, but there were just too many of them. Grubber tried to pry one off Billy, but the other kid didn't even seem to notice him. Grubber felt so helpless, knowing that he was letting Big Billy down.

Just as the brawl began in earnest suddenly a rock was thrown and hit one of the assailing teens in the face! Everyone stopped to see what happened, and there stood two lanky green kids that were _so_ not dressed for the beach. Both had long black hair and eyes with pink bloodshot sclera. They were also both wearing pants and one even wore a hat. Grubber thought they kinda looked like drug addicts or something, and wondered if they were there to help the other teens beat up Grubber and Billy.

What happened next Grubber didn't see coming.

One of the new green kids, who wore a multi colored vest and sunglasses at the end of his nose, pointed to one of the teenagers and shouted "Help, police! That's the guy! The one in the red trunks! He raped my baby sister!"

" _What_!?" Red trunks exclaimed in disbelief, "Dude, I don't even know you! I didn't rape anybody."

"Tell that to poor little Anastasia!" The green boy sobbed melodramatically, "Her only crime was trustin' in the good of humanity, and you tore her face and her heart to shreds! What are we gonna tell Ma, huh? _What are we gonna tell Ma_!?"

By now people were starting to stare. Grubber hated having so many eyes looking in his general direction, but of course more people were interested in the boy with the sunglasses making a scene than him. The teens that a moment ago had been ready to kill Billy and Grubber now seemed to want only to melt into the sand and disappear. They backed away and then started running away, all the while the boy with the shades kept wailing about his sister. When he was sure the boys were gone however, he dropped the act completely and smirked at Grubber and Billy.

"Yer welcome, chumps," The boy said without a hint of the former emotion.

"Dah, you stopped crying," Billy noted in confusion.

"Yeah, I can turn it on and off like a light switch," Sunglasses kid remarked with pride, "Name's Ace by the way, and this is my right hand man, Snake. We're the Gangreen Gang."

"Pftt Pfft," Grubber commented.

"Hey, you mockin' us?" Ace asked challengingly.

"Uh, Grubber asked how you can be a gang if there's only two of you," Billy translated.

Snake looked at Ace, not really sure how to respond, and Ace just slid a strand of hair behind his ear and said "It ain't about quantity with us, it's about quality. Snake's my only fellow member because until now he was the only one good enough. I think dat could change though. I've been watchin' yous two and your little hustle. The big guy draws attention and you sneak around takin' whatever you want. I like that. I think you've both got potential. I'm recruitin' for the Gangreen Gang, and if yer tired of livin' like nobodies, then I suggest you follow me out of this loser beach."

Ace then walked away slowly, and Snake dutifully followed. Grubber couldn't believe this guy. Who just shows up, accuses a stranger of rape, tells two kids they were being stalked, and then orders them to leave with him? It was the brashest thing Grubber had seen in a long time, and yet...it was so cool. No one wanted Grubber and Billy. That was why they lived alone on a beach. Now someone did want them around, and it was someone cool and intelligent like Ace.

Without a word, Grubber started following after Ace and Snake, and Billy followed Grubber. It was a silent agreement, but one that would last for years. Grubber and Billy were now part of the Gangreen Gang.

* * *

As Grubber walked into the waiting room at the hospital he couldn't help but think about how impulsive that life-altering decision had been. To be fair he and Billy were both just 12 years old at the time, but Grubber also thought it was a testament to how persuasive Ace could be even when it should be obvious he was lying or doing something for his own selfish ends. The moments when Ace could be caring or willing to defend the gang made them overlook his more aggressive and violent tendencies. Grubber couldn't help but wonder if there was hope for Ace to be a better person after he recovered, or if he was already too far gone.

Arturo saw Grubber coming and jumped up to get his sandwich. He never looked so happy to see non-jello food before.

"Jeez Grubber, did you eat yours on the way here?" Arturo asked playfully.

"Pfft pfft pbfft. Pfft pbt pfft," Grubber explained.

"Big Billy's back?" Arturo asked excitedly, "Oh, dios mio, let's just hope nothing bad happened while he was in there this time. Remember when he got his belly button pierced by a cell mate? That thing got so infected it turned purple!"

Grubber couldn't help but laugh at the memory, since he also recalled Ace having to be the one to dab vodka over the wound. Arturo and Snake had the flu that same week, so Ace took over a lot of their responsibilities.

"Poor Billy. He's not gonna like seeing Ace with tubes in his chest and nose," Arturo pointed out, "I don't blame him. Everybody says Ace is getting better, so why isn't he waking up?"

"Pfft," Grubber shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess these things do take time," Arturo agreed, "The nurse said there could be some physical or mental damage though. What if Ace comes out of there not able to walk? It'll be weird, the gang trying to strut around like nothing's changed, yet there'll only be four of us and our leader's in a wheelchair."

"Pfft pbt."

"I know we don't know that, but we have to think ahead," Arturo replied, "If Ace needs a wheelchair then we'll need to install ramps all around the house. You and Billy will have to push him since I can't reach. In fact, maybe you just push him. Billy might knock him over. Aye, this would be so much easier with Snake around. Why did he have to go and do something this _stupido?_ I mean, what if Ace can't move his arms? We might have to feed him. Should we shoot him again if it gets to that?"

"Pfft."

"Yeah, we should probably ask him first," Arturo nodded, "What if he can't talk though? He might have his legs and arms but lose his voice. How will Ace deal with that?"

"Pfft," Translated Grubber said, "You get used to it."

"Heheheh! Good point," Arturo laughed, "Eh, we'll figure it out. We always do."

Grubber nodded and sat down in a chair. Arturo sat down with him and started flipping through the channels on the hospital's TV set. A few minutes later Grubber announced he was going to the cafeteria since he gave Billy his big sandwich, and promised to bring Arturo back some orange jello.

"You better not!" Arturo snapped crossly, and Grubber raspberry-laughed.

Grubber took no note of the people he passed on the way to the cafeteria that tried to avoid direct eye contact. Normally he would enjoy scaring some chumps, but there was simply too much else to think about. He was just glad Arturo was here to take on the responsibility as Ace's proxy. Arturo certainly had changed from the violent impulsive kid he used to be...

* * *

Grubber and Billy had only been with the gang for three weeks, yet it felt like they had always been together. Grubber had already seen more of Townsville than ever before thanks to Ace's expert guidance. He was like the cool older brother Grubber never had.

In a way Ace was the gang's big brother since he was the oldest. Snake, Grubber, and Billy were all roughly 12 years old, but Ace was 14. It made him seem wiser in a way. Like he had all the answers to life's questions and knew every dirty trick in the book to help them get ahead.

It was a sunny day and the gang was standing on the street corner outside the park waiting for Ace to come back with some food for them. Billy asked every other minute when 'Boss' was coming back, and Snake and Grubber were starting to get a little annoyed. It was more obvious Snake was irritated though, since Grubber was used to Billy's single-mindedness.

Finally Ace returned with two grocery bags and a newspaper. Grubber looked just as eager to see the paper as the food, since he hadn't had anything to read in a while. Billy danced from one foot to the other in anticipation of lunch.

"Oh boy! What did you get? What did you get?" Billy asked excitedly.

"Calm down, big guy. I got the essentials," Ace replied nonchalantly, "I brought back some of those wieners they cook on the rack, some sodas, and some candy. I gotta say Grubber, that money you gave us has really gone a long way."

"Pfft..." Grubber replied modestly.

"That bein' said, we're about to get a whole lot richer," Ace told them with a devilish smirk.

"Reallys? How?" Snake asked even as he grabbed for his hot dog and soda.

"Easy," Ace replied as he showed the gang the front page of the paper.

Everyone looked at what Ace was talking about, but they still weren't sure what was so special about it. The paper read: MACHO ARTURO CAPTURED.

"They caught the mob ssstrangler?" Snake asked in confusion, "What doesss that have to do with usss?"

"I read the story," Ace told them, "And this guy was loaded! He lived in a mansion on the outskirts of Townsville, and with Macho arrested that means no one to guard the place."

"Ssso, we're moving to a gangssster'ss mansion?" Snake asked, puzzled.

"No, dummy. We're gonna break into that mansion and steal all the valuables we can find," Ace spelled it out for him, "There might even be a vault with money in it and everything! It'll be like a treasure hunt!"

"Dah, Billy likes treasure hunts," The big kid said with a dopey smile.

"Pfft pff," Grubber pointed out.

"Yeah, there'll be police security," Ace replied dismissively, "But nothin' we can't handle."

With those words the gang went back to their lunch and talked about all the stuff they could buy with the money they'd get from the heist. They even considered being able to buy their own house someday and not having to live in the dump anymore. It was something to dream about, at least.

...

That night the young gang made it to Macho De La Guerra's mansion and saw that there was police tape all over the place. There were still a couple cops in one car stationed there so that no civilians would interfere with an active crime scene, but that wasn't about to stop the Gangreen Gang. They just had Billy push through some hedges and then they snuck around the back to get into one of the windows. It was surprisingly easy.

Once inside, the gang walked through the dark room and into the hallways. The place was just as lavish as they thought it would be, with ornate furniture, expensive paintings, and display cases full of fine antiques and collectibles. Grubber passed by a big mirror and made goofy faces at himself, and Snake pocketed some rare coins he saw in a display case. Billy of course headed for the kitchen and started raiding the fridge, but there really wasn't that much inside.

"D'aww, Billy only find sausage and beans," Billy whined.

"Billy, stay with the group!" Ace admonished as he poked his head in the kitchen, "We gotta find the money vault. Then we'll be rich."

Billy complied and walked back to where the rest of the gang was, and the young hooligans looked around in search of wherever a drug lord would keep all their money. They didn't find anything downstairs, so they looked upstairs. The stairs were long and winding, so the kids were tired by the time they got to the top. Billy and Grubber wanted to rest, but Ace was determined to find that vault, so the group ventured on at their boss's command.

Each room yielded more splendor but not really anything they could use. That all changed when Billy found a room and exclaimed, "Guys, look! Toys!"

Toys? In a drug lord's house? That didn't make any sense. The other three children followed Billy and sure enough, it was a child's bedroom with blue painted walls, a race car bed, and more toys than any of them had ever seen in their lives in one room. Billy ran inside immediately and started playing with a model train set. Grubber and Snake got excited as well and went for the action figures kept in a large pirate chest. Ace just stood there grinning as he watched his friends have fun, believing himself to be above the act of playing with children's toys.

"Choo choo! I'm a duck!" Billy exclaimed happily as he rolled the train along the track, "Hey Boss, you wanna be the top hat guy?"

"No, I don't wanna be the top hat guy," Ace replied in a no-duh voice, "We're supposed to be lookin' for the vault."

The others ignored him and continued to play, and Ace was getting angrier by the second. He huffed and scowled, but no one paid him any attention. Finally Ace just decided to cool down and count how many things he'd swiped so far. He pulled some coins out of his vest pocket, but then one fell to the floor. Ace bent down to pick it up, and under the bed he noticed something, or rather, _someone_.

The eyes under the bed widened and in a flash the figure leapt out from his hiding spot and latched onto Ace's face! Ace screamed as the little boy clawed and punched at him, and Ace threw him off like he was a giant spider crawling on him. The new boy fell to the ground with a hard thud, and then looked up ferociously at the Gangreen Gang. The other kids looked back at him, not sure what to make of him. The other kid was tiny, like a doll, but he was green like them and had a pronounced underbite.

"¡¿Que haces en me casa!?" The little boy screeched in a high pitched voice that hurt everyone else's ears, "¡Sal de aquí!"

"Great, the little twerp don't speak English," Ace remarked with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I do too!" The little boy refuted heatedly, "Get outta my house, you poco matones! I'm not going anywhere with the policia, so scram!"

"Yikesss, thisss kid sssoundsss like nailsss on a chalkboard!" Snake hissed as he pressed his hands to his ears.

"Hold up, hold up," Ace lifted his hands and approached the little green kid, "The police? Why are you hidin' from the police?"

"Like I'd tell you," The new kid replied argumentatively, "Now go away! You'll never take me alive!"

The boy then pulled out something in a leather sheath out of his pocket and pointed it at the boys.

"Look outs! He'sss got a knife!" Snake shouted as he backed away.

Ace adjusted his sunglasses and looked down at the boy, who looked ready for a fight to the death. Ace then smirked, and triggered the device the boy was holding, which turned out to be a comb.

"Hey! You don't touch Maria!" The boy snapped angrily.

"Yeah? And you don't threaten the Gangreen Gang," Ace replied, an edge to his otherwise calm and collected voice.

"Gang? So, you're not with the policia?" The boy asked warily.

"Nope," Ace replied, "Why you runnin' from the cops, anyway?"

"Because they arrested me Papi and everybody else in the house," The boy explained, "They gonna arrest me too, because I was associated with Papi. I've been hiding under my bed since Tuesday. Well, I did leave to go to the baño, but that's it."

"Ssso...you're an outlaw? Jussst like usss," Snake inquired for clarification.

"You gangsters too, eh?" The boy asked without judgment, "Well, you lookin' for anybody else? I kinda need a new gig now that the policia have taken the house and my Papi. If I stay here, they'll find me."

"Sure, we'll take you in," Ace replied with a winning smile, "By the way, do you know where your papi keeps his dough? It could help us start a new criminal enterprise."

"They took it," The boy said sadly, "The cops took everything, and they still keep coming back for more! I know they're looking for me. I hear them shouting sometimes 'Little Arturo! Little Arturo!', but I'm not coming out for them."

"So yer name's Lil' Arturo?" Ace asked, and Arturo nodded, "I'm Ace, and this is Snake, Grubber, and Big Billy. Don't worry kid, we'll look out for you."

Arturo thought it over for a moment, looking like he might start yelling and threatening again at any moment, but then he put away his comb and fell in line with the other kids behind Ace.

"So, where are we going now, Ace?" Arturo asked as if he had been there all along.

Ace smiled sinisterly and looked over his gang. Four kids, each with their own talents, and each at his command. With this motley crew on his side, the Gangreen Gang would be unstoppable!

* * *

Grubber finished his jello and mashed potatoes as he thought back on that day. Even back then Arturo was a scrapper, and unlike the rest of the gang he seemed to have his own mind. It was no wonder that Ace grew to respect him the most. Arturo was already mob royalty when they met him, and had only learned to be more and more hardened as time went on. Grubber knew there was a soft side though. He saw it every time Arturo bandaged a wound for another gang member, or let Billy win at video games, or spent over an hour in the mirror primping his hair. Arturo wasn't that vain, but that comb had belonged to his father, so Arturo used it every chance he got.

It felt like so much time had passed, yet Grubber hadn't even noticed it until now. His bones ached more, his reaction time was slower, and his grotesque appearance only grew more ghastly with age. He was only 24, yet it felt like he was old.

As he licked at his mashed potatoes he heard tiny rapid footsteps enter the room, and he knew it would be Arturo.

"Grubber! We got a problem! It's Ace!" Arturo screamed.

"Pfft?" Grubber asked if Ace had relapsed.

"Worse, man!" Arturo replied frantically, "He's missing!"


	14. Lost Boys Part 2

_Author's Notes: Welcome back for part two of the Lost Boys chapters. The segments in this chapter are shorter than the last chapter, but that just seemed to be how things were flowing. Hopefully you will all enjoy this chapter, and thank you for reading up to this point. I'm really happy I've been able to focus on this fic and update quickly. Focus is not something I excel at, so I'll take whatever bursts of concentration I can get ':)_

* * *

Chapter 14

Lost Boys

Part II

Grubber followed Arturo back to Ace's room to see if he was right and Ace was truly missing. It seemed ridiculous. Ace had been unconscious for over a week, and suddenly he's gone? Could he even get up on his own? Did someone else take him from his bed? Was it a rival gang trying to kill him?

"See?" Arturo motioned to the inside of the room before running inside, "He's not here. The tubes have been ripped out, and his jacket and pants are gone. His gown is still on the bed, and his sunglasses are still on the nightstand. He never goes anywhere without his shades, so he's probably in a hurry."

"Pfft," Grubber noted.

"Well of course he left his shirt! It's covered in blood!" Arturo shouted, "That's not the point, Grubber. Ace is gone! Now think, Grubber. If I was Ace and I just woke up after getting shot by Snake, I'd...probably go after Snake, right?"

"Pfft pft," Grubber pointed out.

"True. Thank goodness he ran," Arturo sighed as he hopped up on Ace's bed and sat down, "If Ace is looking for Snake though, he'll probably go home first. We should go to the hideout to see if that's where he went."

"Pft," Grubber suggested.

"Hm, good point," Arturo agreed, "Someone should stay here to look for him in the hospital. Not it!"

Grubber almost said 'Not it' as well, but then realized it was just the two of them. Grubber snapped his fingers in defeat, knowing he would have to stay in the hospital while Arturo ran home to try to intercept Ace. Hopefully Ace wouldn't be in enough of a blind rage to try to hurt any other gang members. Otherwise Arturo could be in a lot of trouble.

* * *

Ace walked down the street and looked around in confusion. He had woken up in a hospital bed with tubes running all over his body and no one was there to tell him how it happened. He wondered if someone had done something to him, or maybe he was bitten by something in his sleep and poisoned like in that horror movie with the scorpions and the spider lady. Either way he needed to get home. The others might not be worried about him, but they would at least notice he was gone.

As Ace trudged down the street he noticed how many new businesses were around. It was weird. The donut shop was now a real estate firm, the cafe was now a Mexican restaurant, and where the pay phone used to be on Euclid Ave was now a shrub. Ace felt weird walking around Townsville, because a lot of it was different than he remembered.

The biggest shock came when Ace finally reached his destination. He made it to the boarding house where he lived, and it was a mess. The building was falling apart, and the door was off its hinges. To be fair, Mrs. Picklesworth's group home never looked great, but this place was literally condemned. There was even a notice from the city in the window saying so.

Ace gulped, feeling like he was in a bad dream. The house beyond the doorway was dark and foreboding, and Ace didn't want to go in there, but it was his home so he had to go inside eventually.

He walked inside and saw no one. Weirder still, there wasn't even really any furniture to speak of. A few odds and ends and a broken TV, but no furniture. The room even smelled different, less like cheerios and menthols and more like vomit and booze. Mrs. Picklesworth didn't drink, so this was definitely weird.

"Hello? Mrs. Picklesworth! Nathan! Steven! Anastasia! An-anybody..." Ace's yell had turned to a whimper as he called out for people he realized weren't going to be there. Where was everybody, and what happened here?

Suddenly Ace heard big loud footsteps coming down the hall to the right, but they didn't sound like anybody Ace knew. His suspicion was confirmed when a fat green monster with a big red beard came lumbering into the room.

"Ace! You're home!" The monster exclaimed with glee.

"AHH! Keep away from me!" Ace warned before being picked up and hugged by the large green man.

"Hah hah hah! Billy glad to see Ace!" The monster laughed with uncontrolled joy.

"Why?" Ace asked suspiciously, "Where is everybody? What did you do with them!?"

"Dah, everybody else at the hospital," The monster told him, and Ace felt fear rise in his chest.

"So it was you!" Ace shouted accusingly, "Well you ain't gonna get me!"

Ace then kicked the monster in the nuts and took off running out of the house. Billy was doubled over in pain, not understanding why Ace had kicked him like that. Maybe Ace was still hurt and Billy made it worse. The big guy didn't know, but he worried Ace was going to get hurt again.

Billy ran outside to try to find Ace, but the Gangreen leader was already long gone.

* * *

"School? But I don't wanna go to school!" Butch complained when the professor presented him with his own black and green backpack.

"Now boys, you've been here for 9 days. It's time for you to start working on furthering your education," The professor said firmly yet lovingly, "Believe it or not, I used to hate school too. I thought it was a long boring waste of time. I'd just sit there and look out the window waiting for the day to finally be over."

"You're really not selling us on this, Professor," Boomer said dryly.

"But that was before I discovered my passion for science," The professor finished, "With the proper education, who knows how far you boys could go! Why you could be rocket scientists, engineers, or paralegals. The sky's the limit."

"If the sky's the limit then wouldn't that exclude rocket science?" Boomer asked contrarily, "I mean, rockets go above the sky, don't they?"

"See? That curious and inventive mind can only benefit from a supportive learning environment," The professor replied optimistically.

"You'll be fine guys, trust us," Blossom added.

"Yeah, suck it up you babies," Buttercup taunted.

"Sorry we can't ride the bus with you," Bubbles apologized, "But we're not in the same grade. Have fun at Pokey Oats."

The girls then flew off, leaving the boys to their crayon and chalk loaded fates.

"This stinks!" Butch exclaimed angrily, "Why do we have to go to stupid kindergarten? Why can't we go with them?"

"Uh, because we're five?" Boomer guessed.

"Shut up!" Butch snapped crossly.

The past week had gone as well as could be expected for the newly integrated Utonium household. Much to the surprise of the girls Boomer was actually trying. He did chores when the professor asked him to, he did his best to keep his hair and clothes clean, and he only occasionally tried to pick on the girls. Clearly he wanted this whole family thing to work out.

Butch was another story. It wasn't that he was trying to destroy the house or anything, but clearly he had some issues with authority. With Brick out of the picture Butch believed he should be the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, which mostly meant bossing Boomer around. This in itself wouldn't be so bad, except Boomer listened to the professor more than to Butch, and Butch hated that. Butch felt like he was competing with the professor for control over his brother, and it didn't help that the Powerpuff Girls always sided with the professor too.

With all of those issues plaguing the Utonium house, it was only natural that Butch was going to resist going to school. Problem was he was outvoted, like always. Boomer wanted to go to school, and he wasn't going to let Butch stop him. Oh, well. Butch was at least happy that the stupid Powerpuffs went to middle school instead of kindergarten. At least they wouldn't have to spend all day with their stupid 'sisters'. Butch could live with school for that reason if no other.

The school bus arrived for Pokey Oats, and Boomer waved goodbye to the girls and the professor. Butch wished he could give them all the finger, but he didn't have any fingers so he settled for sticking his tongue out at them before leaving.

* * *

Ace didn't know what he was going to do. Sure, he didn't like Mrs. Picklesworth and the other kids, but that was still his house. With a big green monster living in it and no one familiar in sight Ace was feeling pretty lost. He felt his stomach aching with hunger, and dug around in his pockets for some food. Nothing. _Of course_.

Walking around Townsville ate up a lot of energy, and Ace had to find food somewhere. The first place he tried was the Burgerama, but when he got there he found the place had been turned into a dress shop. Ace felt his face heat up with anger as he tried to find some stinking food around this dump of a city. There had to be _somewhere_ he could go!

A few minutes later Ace came across Malph's Market, which he was glad to see because it was familiar. He didn't understand why so many things in Townsville were strange to him now, but he would just have to suck it up until he could figure it out. With this thought in mind Ace dug around in his jeans pockets for money, and for once luck was on his side. He had a whole dollar! That ought to be good for something.

He entered the store, and it looked mostly the same. The counters were shorter than Ace remembered, but otherwise it was the same look and feel as always. When even his own house was different Ace was grateful that something felt right.

He looked around the snack aisle, but noticed a lot of the prices had gone up. It was just 20 cents more here, 40 cents more there, but it added up. Ace was having trouble finding anything that only cost a dollar. Finally he found a candy bar for 89 cents, and even though he thought that was overpriced it was still the only thing he could afford. It was a Mr. Chewy bar, so at least it was a candy he liked.

When Ace got to the checkout lane to pay for his treat, the checker took one look at him and immediately backed away.

"It's you!" The checker exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowed and her stance defensive, "I don't know where Snake is, and even if I did know I wouldn't tell _you_!"

"Huh?" Ace grunted in confusion, "Uh, are you gonna ring me up or not, lady?"

She looked down warily and saw he was holding out a candy bar. She quickly rang it up and Ace handed her the dollar bill.

"I'm supposed to get six cents change," Ace demanded, "I calculated the tax and I won't put up with anyone tryin' to con me."

"Frankly I'm surprised you paid for it at all," The checker remarked with contempt, "I know what you're really doing here though."

"Oh?" Ace asked as if he already knew, hoping to get information out of this person that might help him.

"Yeah, you're looking for Snake," She accused, "He didn't tell me where he was going though, and if there's any justice in this world you'll never find him."

"Snake? Is that a person?" Ace asked obliviously.

"Don't play dumb with me!" The checker snapped; her nerves nearly frayed from being so close to the man that almost killed her, "Snake told me what happened. He said he shot you in the chest and almost killed you. Hey wait, if you were shot, then how are you walking around right now?"

"I was shot?" Ace asked in genuine confusion, and then unzipped his jacket to see the healing wound, "Dude, I was shot! Whoa, check out this scar! I gotta show this to the other kids! They won't believe it!"

"You're _proud_ of driving a man insane and making him shoot you?" The checker asked incredulously, "What kind of psycho are you?"

"That sounds like a serious case of victim blamin', lady," Ace replied with a smirk, "Besides, I survived. That means I get to brag about it. I think if you get shot and live you get to brag about it."

"Fine then, you bragged about it and you bought your candy bar, now please just _leave_ ," The checker practically begged, "I have a full day ahead."

"We're the only ones in here," Ace pointed out.

"Why are you doing this!?" She finally shouted in frustration, "What did I ever do to you? First you nearly shoot me, then I find out you've been abusing your own gang for years, and now you're harassing me at work over it! _Why_? What sick pleasure do you get out of this?"

"Gang?" Ace asked, "I think you have me confused for someone else. I'm not in a gang. I live in Mrs. Picklesworth's boardin' house. You know, the one on Monster Stomp Lane. Includin' me there's like 9 kids in there. There's no gang in that dump."

"Monster Stomp Lane?" The checker repeated, "You mean that old condemned crack house?"

"Crack house? No, it's a group home," Ace insisted.

"No, it was a drug den," The checker corrected him, "After the old lady who owned it died her grandson started cooking meth in there. The drug bust was all over the news two years ago. They condemned it because of all the residual chemicals."

"I don't understand," Ace replied in a smaller voice than the checker had ever heard him use, "It can't be the same house. Mrs. Picklesworth is still alive. Just the other day the washin' machine broke and she made us kids wash the clothes in a bucket like a bunch a stinkin' pioneers."

"Kids? Um, Ace...This might sound like a weird question," The checker said gently lest she anger the gangster, "But...How old are you?"

"Thirteen," Ace replied without hesitation.

"Oh. I think you might have some brain damage," She deduced.

"What!?" Ace snapped, "I do not!"

"Wait, listen to me!" She shouted placatingly, "Ace, you're not thirteen. You're an adult. You're the leader of a notorious group in Townsville called the Gangreen Gang. You and your fellow gang members have been terrorizing Townsville for years. You robbed this store just a few weeks ago. In fact, you rob it frequently."

"An adult?" Ace muttered uncertainly, "Prove it."

Not knowing what else to do, the checker rummaged through her purse until she found her hand mirror. She handed it to Ace, who looked at his reflection. He was shocked to see the man staring back at him on the other side of the mirror. He had a wispy mustache, his dark green splotches looked darker, his eyes had bags in them that weren't there before, he had chipped teeth, and his eyes looked sicker. It was horrifying. It was shocking. It was his dad staring back at him.

"I _am_ an adult," Ace said softly, his blood draining from his face, "Mrs. Picklesworth is dead, and I'm in a gang. I was shot...because I'm in a gang. You're afraid of me, because I hurt you. This ain't fair. I don't even remember this stuff!"

Ace then threw the mirror against the wall, and it crashed into many silver pieces. The checker gasped and found herself shaking, but she did her best not to scream or otherwise make the gangster nervous.

" _Who_ is Snake!?" Ace suddenly screamed, and the checker backed away, but Ace grabbed her by the shirt collar before she could escape, "You said I got shot by a guy named Snake. Well, who is he? I want answers lady and yer gonna give 'em to me! Where can I find this guy?"

"Let me go!" The checker demanded as she struggled to break free of Ace's grip, "I said I wouldn't tell you anything!"

"You already did," Ace growled in a low dark voice, "You know my whole life story lady, so if you wanna blame someone for what happens next, well then, you should have no problem with a little victim blamin', right?"

"Okay, okay!" The checker relented, "Snake was a member of your gang, and you hurt him, so he shot you because he couldn't take it anymore."

"Snake was from my own gang?" Ace asked for clarification.

"Yes," The checker nodded, "Listen, you were in the hospital right? You should probably go back. Your friends are probably worried sick about you. Maybe the doctors can help you."

"My friends?" Ace asked sharply, "You mean my gang?"

"Yes," The checker replied.

"No dice, lady," Ace snorted derisively, "If one of my gang shot me, then it probably means they wanted a change in leadership. They're all probably out to kill me now, so I ain't safe with them. I gotta find someplace else to live. Oh, and if you tell the Gangreen Gang I was here, you're dead. Got that?"

The checker nodded fearfully, and Ace let go of her collar. He grabbed his candy bar and left, not knowing where he was going. He had no group home, he had no friends, and he had no memories of his past beyond age thirteen. Oh well, Ace had started over before. He could do it again.

* * *

The Rowdyruff Boys entered the kindergarten building with the rest of their class. Boomer looked around at all the drawings and decorations with wonder, never having seen so much imaginative clutter in his life. Butch harrumphed and crossed his arms, already sick of being there.

"Alright class, settle down," The teacher, Ms. Keane, ordered in a patient tone of voice, "Alright everyone, take your seats. Today we have two new students. Kids, I would like everyone to give a warm welcome to Butch and Boomer. Would either of you boys like to say anything about yourselves?"

"Yeah, I've been in prisons that didn't smell this bad! Hah!" Butch laughed mean spiritedly, and the kids just stared in confusion at seeing someone their age with a criminal record.

"Boomer?" Ms. Keane encouraged.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Boomer, and Butch and me just moved back to Townsville a little bit ago," Boomer said awkwardly, feeling nervous with so many new eyes on him, "We lived in a bunch of different places, and we wrecked a lot of stuff. It was awesome. But, uh, today we're here to learn and to make friends."

"Hope you babies like bugs!" Butch added teasingly.

"Well, alright then. Looks like you two are ready to learn," Ms. Keane said with a warm smile, "Please take your seats, and we'll begin our first lesson for the day."

Boomer and Butch flew over to an empty table with two chairs, and the other kids gasped at seeing somebody that wasn't the Powerpuff Girls able to fly. Butch realized the kids were admiring them for their powers and flexed his bicep to show off. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"First we'll go over the alphabet," Ms. Keane announced, "Each one of you will get to sing the ABC song in order when I point to you. Now, who's ready?"

The kids replied with enthusiastic shouts of "I am!" and "Me!", so Ms. Keane began by pointing to the kid furthest left from her and kept going in a straight line.

"A!" A little boy shouted.

"B!" A girl added.

"C!" Another girl exclaimed.

"4!" Boomer shouted when it was his turn.

The other kids laughed, and Boomer figured out pretty quickly that he must have gotten it wrong. Ms. Keane tried her best to hide her snickering, but admittedly it was funny how confidently he said it. To make things better Ms. Keane said "Well Boomer, that wasn't the right letter, but you showed that you can count. D is the fourth letter of the alphabet. Now, let's continue. Susie?"

"E!" Susie cheered.

"That's right," Ms. Keane congratulated her.

Ms. Keane continued going down the list, and it wasn't lost on Butch that she skipped him completely. Not ten minutes in school and everybody already thought they were stupid. Well, this was going to be a long school year if this kept up.

* * *

After school the girls floated in to the sound of the professor comforting a crying Boomer, and Butch yelling at both of them. So, it was going to be one of _those_ evenings.

"A-A-And then, Milton called me bubble butt!" Boomer related.

"Who cares what he called you? We don't have to go back, right?" Butch pointed out.

"Because you got us expelled, you big jerk!" Boomer yelled back at Butch, "He hit Milton, Professor! And now we can't go back!"

"He deserved it!" Butch argued, "Nobody messes with the Rowdyruff Boys, and nobody calls you a bubble butt except me! I ain't sorry, and you can't make me say I am!"

"Argh! Do we have to listen to this _again_?" Buttercup shouted at them, "Professor, why are the boys even going to school? They're bad guys! Education isn't going to help them."

"Princess went to school," Bubbles pointed out, "And learning made Mojo Jojo a better villain."

"Don't give them tips on how to be villains!" Buttercup ordered.

"Yeah, and don't mention Mojo!" Butch added, "That good for nothing butt scratcher should be thrown in his own volcano!"

"Everybody just shut up and leave me alone!" Boomer screamed tearfully, "I can't help it if I'm stupid!"

The professor scooped Boomer up in a hug, and for a moment Boomer froze because he didn't expect that to happen. Finally he looked up at the professor questioningly, trying to figure out what was going on.

"You're right Boomer, it isn't your fault," The professor said soothingly, "And it isn't Butch's fault either. Neither of you have had a chance to learn in a safe and supportive environment. I know learning isn't easy. Nothing is easy the first time you try it. It's going to take time, but I'm sure both of you will grow to be strong responsible young men. You just need time and training."

Boomer wanted to hug the professor back, but his pride wouldn't let him, so he just sat there in the professor's lap and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. Butch tried to look unimpressed, but the sympathetic look the professor gave him finally broke him down, and he settled into the professor's lap too.

"Can we watch scary movies tonight?" Butch asked the professor.

"No, that will give you nightmares," The professor replied, "However, we can watch a movie together as a family."

"Can it be a cartoon movie?" Boomer asked.

"Sure," The professor replied, "Just nothing with an R rating. You're not old enough for that yet."

The boys flew off his lap and raced for the remote to their streaming account. They both got there at the same time and fought for control of the TV. Buttercup joined the fray, but Bubbles and Blossom didn't feel like getting their hands dirty tonight so just watched the spectacle unfold.

The professor was about to call off the fighting and Butch and Boomer were about to punch each other when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Everyone stopped, leaving the remote combatants locked in a comical ball of frozen-in-place butt kicking. The professor answered the door, and yelped due to being startled by the appearance of the visitor. This made everyone else look to see who it was, and the girls gasped. Blossom of course was the first one to find her voice.

"Grubber?"


	15. Unwelcome Visitor

_Author's Notes: Welp, this is another massive chapter. It didn't feel that big when I was writing it, and there's actually stuff I either cut out or saved for the next chapter. Heh heh, I hope I'm not adding too many useless details, but this story has just been so immersive for me to write. Anyway, thank you for reading, and if you're enjoying the story so far please review :)_

* * *

Chapter 15

Unwelcome Visitor

Ace wandered around Townsville feeling more and more disconcerted as the afternoon settled into the early evening. He saw a digital sign at the bank that said the time was 5:13 PM, and with the candy bar he bought long gone he was getting hungry and tired. He had no place to sleep though, and he had nothing to eat. Not to mention he was being hunted down by a group of thugs called the Gangreen Gang that he had apparently joined. Townsville just wasn't safe anymore.

Ace came to a decision in that moment. He had to get out of Townsville. It would be hard because he had never lived anywhere else as far as he knew, but at the same time it could also be an adventure. He could start a new life with a new name, and live in his own place. It would be hard, but Ace felt like he was ready.

Just as Ace was thinking this he saw a large woman walking down the street. She wasn't carrying a purse, which meant she probably had a wallet. Ace examined her pants to see if he could spot a bulge in any of her pockets, and as she passed him he saw that her wallet was in her back pocket. Not an easy grab, but Ace was already a pro at this by now.

Quickly yet carefully, Ace snuck up behind the woman and slipped her wallet out of her jeans pocket. He immediately ducked onto someone's stoop to make sure she didn't notice him, and then pulled out any cash he could get his sticky fingers on. His dad said to never take credit cards though since those can be traced, so he pocketed the money and ran to catch up with the lady to give her back the wallet she 'dropped'.

"Excuse me, miss?" Ace called out as he ran to catch up with her, "Miss, you dropped your-!"

Before he could finish his sentence however the woman turned to see who it was, and when she caught site of the leader of the Gangreen Gang she screamed and ran away.

"Hey, wait!" Ace called out and halfheartedly ran for a few steps, "You forgot your wallet! Ah, never mind, ya sea cow!"

Ace then snorted derisively and threw the wallet behind his back before walking away from the scene. No sense sticking around where he wasn't wanted. At least he got the money. Ace counted up what he had, and was disappointed to see it was only $17. After getting a burger and a soda he wasn't even sure he'd have enough for bus fare out of town, but he would have to try. He wasn't about to stay in Townsville when he was being hunted.

Ace walked through the drive-thru just to mess with the employees at the Jester Burger, which was the only fast food place still in business from when he was 13 he could find. He ate his burger on the curb and drank his soda as he walked to the bus station. If he didn't have enough money for bus fare he would hitchhike, but that didn't seem like the easiest second option given what that cashier said about his criminal past.

After walking for what felt like forever Ace made it to the bus station. By now his soda was long gone and his feet needed a rest. He went up to the ticket booth and saw a bored looking middle-aged man staring back at him.

"Where to?" The man asked in a gruff monotone voice.

"Uh, how far will $12.75 get me?" Ace asked.

"Let's see..." The man typed on his computer and said, "You can either go to Citysburg, Splitsville, or if you can take that money to the ferry and go back to Monster Island where you came from."

Ace scowled crossly at the way the ticket taker was talking to him, but he held his tongue. He was almost out of Townsville. Soon this would all be over. He just had to keep a low profile until he was sure there were no gang bangers watching him and aiming a gun at his head.

"Which ticket is cheaper?" Ace asked through gritted teeth.

"The difference is only a few cents," The ticket taker shrugged, "Splitsville has better houses, but Citysburg has more job opportunities. I'm guessing you're trying to avoid the police or something."

"More or less," Ace admitted even as he glared at the man.

"Then I would suggest Citysburg," The ticket taker replied, "From what I understand those isolationist jerks are very uncooperative with outside police forces. If I were gonna hide, I'd go there."

"Fine then, one ticket to Citysburg," Ace demanded before he slammed the money on the counter and slid it across the table to the hole in the protective glass.

Ace got his ticket and found the bus without incident. As he sat down in an empty seat and stared out the window at the bus station he was finally able to stop running and think. Unfortunately the only thing that came up in his mind was a combination of confusion and regret.

 _I never wanted to be like him..._ Ace thought as a melancholy mood took over his mind. _Why would I join a gang? I know what they're like. What else don't I know about myself? Do I have a family? Kids somewhere? Did I do drugs? Do I drink? What does that Snake guy look like? Is he still after me? Do I know karate? Could I take him if I had to? Are Ma and Dad still alive?_

The bus rolled down the road and the clouds wafted across the sky as the first signs of sunset shone through. Ace remembered being little and wishing he could live up there with the birds. He could fly away from danger, peck at cats' heads, poop on people whenever he wanted, and be faster than his enemies.

...

Little Ace was 8 years old on a hot summer night in his family's house boat. It was after midnight and he was trying to sleep, but his dad's friends were making too much noise. His dad's gang, the Plague Rats, had come over for their weekly poker game, and Ace couldn't sleep now that they were all high and yelling at each other. He tried to find something to distract himself since he wasn't supposed to come out of his room, so he found a lighter he'd picked up off the ground a few days ago.

Ace pushed down on the igniter, and a few stray sparks lit up for a fraction of a second. There wasn't enough fluid in the lighter for it to light up all the way, but Ace still liked his new toy. He laughed every time the sparks came up, and in the dark of his windowless room the sparks looked even brighter. It was like Ace held a tiny star maker in his hand, and he could imagine he was an astronaut flying through space.

The door to Ace's room suddenly opened, and he was afraid his laughter had been too loud for his parents. His eye was still recovering from the last time his dad punched him, so he didn't want to do anything to upset his folks again for a while. The person that opened the door, however, was just one of the Plague Rats.

"Whoa, sorry kid!" The big green bruiser apologized, "I thought this was your old lady's room. I didn't mean to d-disturb ya. I'm a little, a little, a little bit, uh, kinda drunk."

"It's okay, Bruno," Ace replied casually, "You win at the card game?"

"Nah, nobody beats Crosseyed Jim," Bruno laughed, "Don't w-worry though, I think I'm still gonna *hic* come out a winner. Your old lady is somethin' else, I tell you what."

"I know," Ace replied before going back to looking at his lighter, "She likes Barry Manilow music, by the way. I don't know why. He stinks!"

"Hey, when you get older you'll listen to rusty nails...to get a g-girl's at-attention," Bruno replied with a lecherous drunken grin.

"Still beats Barry Manilow," Ace joked.

"Hmm," Bruno nodded before stumbling off, leaving the door open.

Ace didn't want to remind his parents that he wasn't asleep yet, so he shut the door and went back to playing with his lighter. He wished sometimes his old man didn't have poker nights. His friends were nothing but a bunch of shiftless losers that got high, fought, cussed, stole, and possibly killed people. It was also no secret that his ma had slept with every one of them. Even at 8 years old Ace knew his dad was a bad man and his ma was a strung-out dead-eyed husk where a woman used to be.

The only member of the Plague Rats Ace liked was Manic Mike. He was a short green man with crazy red hair and only one tooth. He was a pothead and always in and out of prison, but he at least treated Ace like he existed. Ace's own parents seemed to resent having a kid and most of the time he was on his own for food and entertainment, but Mike looked out for Ace. Ace was considered "home schooled" by the city of Townsville, which basically meant Ace did nothing all day while his parents hung out with the Plague Rats. Mike saw this and actually taught Ace basic reading and math skills. Apparently Mike had been a first grade teacher before he got into some gambling debts and joined the Plague Rats to avoid paying.

Even at this age with no friends of his own Ace understood that he wasn't a normal kid. His dad was feared and hated for his green skin and fangs, and Ace knew he would be hated too. He also had no toys of his own, and when the house boat had electricity it was only because his dad was leeching off some other boat's generator. They had a TV, but Ace never got to watch cartoons. His parents insisted on keeping it on the channels they liked, which usually meant the news or some after dark show with better looking women than his ma.

As Ace finally drifted off to sleep the door flew open again, and he saw his dad on the other side with an unfocus look in his eye. That look was never a good sign...

...

As Ace watched cars pass the bus and Townsville get smaller in the rear window, he subconsciously touched his neck where the burn scar still was. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he wouldn't miss Townsville nearly as much as he thought. Citysburg was going to be Ace's new home, and he hoped that this time around his life would be worth something.

* * *

"Grubber?" Blossom asked in surprise at seeing the unshapely man standing in the doorway of the Powerpuff home.

Yes, after not chatting with him online for several days Grubber had suddenly showed up at Blossom's doorstep. She knew intellectually that he was Wild Thing, but seeing him in person was still odd. He still looked like that disgusting curmudgeon she would frequently have to beat up to protect the children of Townsville.

"Get him!" Buttercup shouted as she flew to beat up the trespasser, but Blossom stopped her just in time.

"Buttercup, no!" Blossom yelled.

"Let me go, Blossom! He's one of the Gangreen Gang!" Buttercup physically tried to push through Blossom to get to Grubber, but Blossom was having none of it.

"Hey, does this mean we get to beat somebody up?" Butch asked eagerly.

"Everybody, just _chill out_!" Blossom shouted in the most unchill voice she could use, "Grubber is here to see me."

"See you? Why, Blossom?" The professor asked in concern.

"Pfft!" Grubber said as he handed Blossom a yellowed sheet of paper.

Blossom unfurled the wadded up yellow paper, and it read: _Please help! Ace is missing!_

"Missing? What do you mean? I thought he was in the hospital," Blossom inquired of Grubber; much to the confusion of the others.

"Pfft pft pbfft pfft!" Grubber tried to relate the story to Blossom, but she just looked at him in confusion.

"Um...I don't know what you're trying to say," Blossom replied sheepishly.

It was true that Blossom didn't understand Grubber, but it wasn't just his lack of words. The more she stared at Grubber's face the more she realized how lacking in expression he was. His eyes never really changed much, and his mouth stayed open like a venus flytrap. In a way he kind of reminded her of a dog. His tongue was always hanging out and his open mouth meant very little. It could be joy, or anxiety, or anger, or something else. She didn't know, and he couldn't tell her.

"Hey Blossom, what's up with Igor over there?" Boomer remarked, "Did he lose his pet monster?"

"No, he _is_ the pet monster! Hahaha!" Butch laughed.

The boys both continued to laugh, and Bubbles and Buttercup looked at her in utter puzzlement. The professor tugged at his collar, not sure if this man was a threat or a friend. After all, his girls could handle any danger thrown at them...but the professor couldn't.

"Wait! I got an idea!" Blossom suddenly announced.

She flew up to her room and back down in a flash of light, and when she came back she was holding a pink smartphone.

"Okay Grubber, you can text me on this phone, and I'll receive it on Bubbles's phone," Blossom explained.

"Hey! Why does it have to be _my_ phone?" Bubbles whined.

"Because Buttercup blocked my number," Blossom explained dryly.

"Heh heh heh, sorry," Buttercup blushed, "I got sick of you calling when I was hanging out with my friends is all."

"Pfft," Grubber replied, though again no one knew what he said.

"Okay, this will work, but Grubber," Blossom said hesitantly, "Please don't take this the wrong way but...don't eat my phone."

Grubber nodded and held out his gnarly hand to receive the pink device. Blossom handed it to Grubber and then took Bubbles's phone so she could see what Grubber was trying to say.

Grubber: Thank you, Blossom. This was a most clever idea.

Blossom: Thanks, Grubber. Now, what happened to Ace?

Grubber: We don't know. One moment he was practically in a coma from his wounds, and the next he's not in his hospital room. His jacket, pants, and boots were gone so we assume he woke up and left on his own. Then again there is a slight possibility he was taken by the Taser Blades or some other rival gang.

Blossom: That's terrible! I'm glad you had the bravery to come to us, but this is a little awkward for me. Nobody else knows we are friends. It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything! I just don't know how to tell them.

As Blossom and Grubber continued to text back and forth like a couple of teenagers in the back seat of a car, the others were getting antsy to know what the heck was going on. Finally Buttercup couldn't take anymore and pointed out, "Uh, Blossom. You don't have to text Grubber back, you know. He can understand you. You can just talk to him."

Blossom either didn't hear Buttercup or was ignoring her, because she just kept texting. After a minute or two however she turned back to her siblings and professor.

"Girls, according to Grubber Ace is missing," Blossom told them.

"So? Who cares?" Buttercup asked disdainfully.

"Girls, Ace was shot," Blossom informed them, "He almost died, and he disappeared from his hospital room."

"Goodness, that's terrible," The professor replied sympathetically, "I'm sorry to hear about your friend's troubles Mr, uh, Grubber."

Grubber blew a raspberry back at the professor, and Blossom thought he sounded grateful, but it was only a guess on her part.

"Girls, if Ace is missing it either means an injured man is walking the streets of Townsville, or a rival gang took him," Blossom laid it out for her sisters, "We're the only ones that can cover the city in a short amount of time. We need to find him."

"Okay," Bubbles replied agreeably.

"Wait a minute! _Okay_?" Buttercup repeated incredulously, "Ace is a psychopath! Why do we care what happens to him?"

"Because we're the Powerpuff Girls," Blossom replied firmly, "We stand for doing what's right, even if what's right isn't easy. We're going to help Ace because he's helpless, not because he's a good person. You don't have to help if you don't want to, but I'm going to do my duty as a Powerpuff Girl."

Blossom's speech made Buttercup groan uncomfortably, but finally she relented and said "Fine! I'll help look for stupid Ace..."

"Can we come too?" Boomer asked.

"What?! No way! It's movie time!" Butch protested.

"But I've never gone on a search and rescue before!" Boomer pleaded his case, "It'll be fun, just like real detectives. Can we go with them, Professor? Huh? Huh?"

Butch growled and ran his hand down his face in frustration. Boomer was getting on his last nerve, and he still didn't know what was up with the green dude. Who even was Ace? He didn't know, and Boomer didn't either, so this was going to be a waste of time.

"I don't see why not," The professor replied with an unconcerned smile, "Just remember to be careful and be home by bedtime."

"Oh, come on!" Butch screamed, "We're really getting involved in this?"

"Hm, good point," Blossom replied, "We should split up into teams. Buttercup, you go with Butch. Bubbles, you go with Boomer."

"That leaves you with Grubber. Tee hee hee!" Bubbles giggled.

"Um, Grubber can't fly," Blossom realized, "I guess I'll have to go by myself. Grubber, you keep searching on the ground. You might find something we miss."

"Pft!" Grubber saluted Blossom and turned on his heel toward the door, marching off to the sound of rhythmic armpit farts.

"Eugh, of all the Gangreen guys to show up here, why'd it have to be him?" Buttercup asked in disgust.

"Actually, that looked pretty cool," Boomer commented.

Boomer and Butch then smiled at each other, and they floated outside while making music with their armpits too. Buttercup and Bubbles both hung their heads, knowing they were going to have to put up with these idiots for the entire search and rescue mission.

* * *

Snake returned home after another day of failed job interviews. His mama was sitting by the fireplace waiting for him and reading a book. He hated returning home to her again and saying he still didn't have work. He knew the lecture he'd get from her, as it was almost always the same verbatim every day since he returned home.

"Hello, Sanford," His mother greeted him genially, "How was the job hunt today?"

"I didn't get anywheres," Snake replied shamefully, "I interviewed for three officcce jobss and one fassst food job. They all sssaid they were looking for sssomething elssse. Sssorry."

"Well maybe if you didn't wear a tank top and baggy pants to a job interview," His mother reprimanded, "Then maybe they would take you seriously."

"I wore the ponytail like you wanted. What elssse do you exxpect?" Snake snapped frustratedly, "I only own one ssset of clothes. I'm doing the bessst I can."

"You wouldn't need the ponytail at all if you'd just get a haircut like I asked," His mother replied bitingly.

"I like my hair long," Snake replied firmly, trying very hard to not yell at his mother.

"You look like a girl," His mother noted critically.

"I do nots!" Snake snapped, but then he composed himself and said, "I'll try again tomorrows."

"No, take the day off," His mother ordered, "I'll take you shopping for a better shirt. One that covers up that awful tattoo you have on your bicep."

Snake scrunched up his face in distaste at her demeanor, but finally nodded.

"Good," His mother nodded in return, satisfied, "Also, I forgot to pick up milk during my trip to the store today. Would you be a dear and go get a carton for us? I need it for the cake I'm baking tonight."

Snake was exhausted from his fruitless day of job hunting, but nonetheless he said, "Yesss, Mama."

He took the credit card she handed him and stuffed it in his pocket before heading out the door again.

Living with his mother had been very tense ever since he got home. She cooked for him and let him sleep on the fold-out couch, and sometimes she was even kind to him, but by the same token she still insisted he get a job to help support them and was always on his case to take a shower. Since neither had seen each other in years, they didn't really know how to treat each other. As Snake walked down the street to the local market he smiled at the memory of when his mama first noticed his tattoo.

"Oh, Sanford. What is this?" She had asked disapprovingly as she looked at the black and blue ink on his arm, "Who is GGG? Is this a girl you broke up with?"

"It'sss my gang'ss tag," Snake explained with an impish smirk, "I gots it in prissson three yearss ago. We were in for armed robbery."

"A prison gang tattoo!?" His mother asked in shock and dismay, "Baby, why would you do this to yourself?"

"It was Acce'ss fault," Snake snickered at the memory, "He talked sssmack to one of the Ssskinheadss, and the jerk sssaid we wasssn't a real gang becausse we didn't mark oursselvess. Accce and Arturo then found a Latin King that knew how to ussse ballpoint ink and ssafety pinss to make tattoosss."

"That's awful," His mother replied in disgust, "To mutilate yourself just to prove a point."

"Could be worssse," Snake replied, still smiling, "Grubber got hiss on hiss butt. Now when he wantsss to show off hiss tattoo he getss to moon sssomeone."

Snake still softly laughed at how mortified his mother looked upon hearing that story. She was such a prissy perfect lady, and Snake liked the idea that for once he could fluster her right off her high horse with just a few choice snippets of what his life had been like without her.

Snake was only a block and a half away from the store when he passed an alley. He thought nothing of it until a large dark shadow fell over him, and he turned around to see if someone needed to pass him. When he saw the big muscular men wielding knives and ready to jump him, he didn't even have the time or reflexes to escape.

* * *

Ace walked down the streets of Citysburg, completely in a fog. The bus stop had dropped him off, and it was dark outside. The street lights flickered on this side of town, and there was no moon, so everything felt disconcerting to the wayward former gangster.

He looked around for anything that could help him in his quest for shelter. A room for rent that he could bluff his way through for a night would have been welcome, but he saw nothing of the kind. Failing that he looked for a bench or even a large box to sleep in. He was so tired, and his chest felt like it was burning. Probably because his gunshot wound was still healing.

"I can't believe I almost died," Ace muttered to himself, "Even if I don't remember most of my life, at least I didn't die. Man, now I know how my old man's victims probably felt when they survived. Or maybe even my victims. I wonder if I had victims. Probably. I was a gang banger after all. I wonder if I ever killed anyone..."

Just as Ace was trying to solve this macabre puzzle he heard a noise a distance away. He thought it sounded like a group of thugs beating someone up, kind of like when the Plague Rats ambushed people. Ace's first instinct was to turn around and just go about his business, but then he heard something that made him change his mind and walk toward the chaos.

"Take this, you green freak!" A voice in the distance clearly shouted.

"Green?" Ace said to himself.

So, it was people who hated those that looked like monsters. Normally Ace wasn't a socially conscious individual, but he did understand the curse of being born green. The only two causes of green skin in humans was either a rare genetic condition or else having monster genes. For some bigots it didn't matter which of these it was, they just hated those that looked different.

He ran toward the ruckus and saw that two very large men were attacking what looked like a bloodied green woman. Ace knew he would have to use the element of surprise to his advantage, so he snuck up behind one of the assailants and picked a knife out of his pocket.

"Hey, let's cut out his tongue," One brute said to the other, "No one'll believe us if we don't."

Ace realized he didn't have any time to waste, so he plunged the knife into the back of the nearest muscle-bound attacker, and the man roared in pain.

"RAAAGH! What happened?!" The injured attacker screamed.

"Dude, there's another one!" The uninjured man pointed at Ace, "Aw man, he used your own knife against you!"

"Get it out!" The first man demanded.

"I can't. That'll make the blood flow worse," The first one pointed out.

While the two men were arguing Ace dropped to the ground and snuck under their legs, and then picked up the injured green victim. He ran away before the two meatheads noticed, and hoped the mugging victim wasn't dripping too much blood for them to follow. Ace ran until he found a liquor store, and then gently set the unconscious person on the ground next to a dumpster. He then checked over the victim's body for injuries.

"Hm, it's a guy," Ace noted when he got a good look at him, "And he's part monster. Poor fool, tryin' to live here in a city that don't recognize his humanity. Well don't worry pal, I'll help ya."

Ace then rifled through the victim's pockets until he found a credit card, and then ran into the liquor store and bought some red wine and a packet of tissues from the front of the checkout lane. When he returned the victim still hadn't moved.

Ace then poured wine on the open wounds on the man's arms from the knife his attackers had been using on him. The man twitched, which was a good sign for Ace. He then dabbed at the man's face with the tissues, but then realized his arms were still bleeding.

"Aw, crud," Ace muttered, "Okay, um, Manic Mike showed me how to tie this off...but what do I use?"

Ace thought quickly about what he could tie the wounds off with, and settled on ripping up his jacket and using that. He managed to stop the bleeding from the man's arms, and then went back to cleaning up his face. Ace shivered in the cold night air with no shirt or jacket. He didn't even know why he was trying to save this mugging victim. Maybe he was just trying to prove to himself that he was still capable of doing good things.

After a moment Ace was surprised to see the man starting to wake up, and he smiled down at being able to help this man survive a traumatic experience.

"Hey," Ace said as coolly as he could manage, "You okay, man?"

Snake's eyes blearily opened, and as the fuzzy image started to focus he realized to his horror that Ace had found him and was currently leaning over his inert body. Snake gasped and tried to get up, but Ace pushed him back down with ease.

"Hey, don't be scared," Ace said in what he hoped was a comforting tone, "Those guys are gone, okay? They can't hurt you anymore."

"Y-you..." Snake tried to say, but he was too weak.

"Listen, uh, I don't know where anything is around Citysburg," Ace explained apologetically, "We're currently behind a liquor store next to a dumpster. If you could just tell me where you live, I'll take you home."

"No!" Snake croaked out desperately, "SSS...SSS..."

"What?" Ace asked uncomprehendingly.

"SSSorry," Snake barely managed to say, "P-P-Pleasse...don't..."

"Hey, I ain't the one that jumped you," Ace told him, "I promise, nothin' bad'll happen. Just tell me where you live, Mr..." Ace looked down at the credit card, "Ingleberry."

"F-F-Funny," Snake stammered, believing Ace was toying with him before the kill.

"You said it, not me," Ace quipped teasingly, "Come on. I don't bite. You're safe now, promise. Just help me help you."

Snake breathed in and out a few times, knowing that whatever Ace wanted to do to him he couldn't stop. As he opened his eyes again and tried to move his arms he noticed that they were covered in cloth. He looked, and saw pieces of the dark grey bomber jacket Ace had worn for the past two years. He then looked up at Ace, and saw he was topless with the healing gunshot scar very obvious on his splotchy green chest. Snake didn't know what Ace's game was, but he finally decided he might as well play along. It wasn't like he had much to live for anyway.

"I lives at 312...Maple St," Snake told Ace, "It isssn't f-far...f-from here."

"Cool," Ace replied before picking up Snake, "Now you'll have to direct me. Can ya do that?"

Snake nodded weakly, trying to stay awake. He just hoped that when Ace was done torturing him that at least he would have the decency to spare his mother. Snake worried about it for more reasons than one. Aside from having a power complex Ace was also attracted to older women. And younger women. Basically everything but his own age. It wasn't lost on Snake that the person he had once considered his best friend in the world was now someone he feared more than anyone. He knew Ace's behavior though, and he knew the man was practically a sociopath.

Ace started walking with the injured man, and every few steps Ingleberry would moan in pain at being jostled. Every time they would come to a curb Ace would ask for directions, and Ingleberry would give them. After they were almost there however Ingleberry passed out again, and Ace got nervous fearing he wouldn't be able to find the place.

It took a few minutes, but Ace found the townhouse where Ingleberry lived, and kicked at the door since he couldn't knock with his arms full.

"Who is it? What do you want?" A frail feminine voice asked on the other end of the door, "Is that you, Sanford?"

"Uh, excuse me ma'am," Ace replied politely, "This man got stabbed and beat up a few blocks from here. He said he lives here. Can you help him?"

Mrs. Ingleberry looked through the peephole and saw that there was a tall green shirtless man carrying her battered and unconscious son.

"Sanford!" She gasped as the door swung open, "Please, come in!"

Ace did as instructed and she pointed him to a couch bed in the living room. He carefully set the man down and covered him up with a blanket, and then looked at the older woman who was pacing back and forth fretfully. She then found her cell phone and called an ambulance, all the while Ace lifted up the man's head and placed a pillow under there.

"The hospital says it'll be between 15-30 minutes due to the traffic on the main road," Mrs. Ingleberry announced, "Now, what happened to my Sanford?"

" _Sanford_?" Ace repeated as he looked back at the man. Didn't look refined enough for a name like Sanford.

"Yes, he was only gone for an hour," She replied worriedly, "He was just going to the store to get milk. Oh, this is all my fault! I should have made something else for dessert and just let him rest. Oh dear, what if he doesn't make it?"

"I saw the wounds, and it didn't look like they was very deep," Ace explained, "I'm sorry this happened to your son, ma'am. It was a couple of monster haters. We have 'em in Townsville too, but not like here. I've heard the stories of what happens here, and judgin' from Sanford's condition, I'd say those stories was true."

"You're from Townsville?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked curiously, "Sanford has been living in Townsville for several years, and only recently moved back here."

"Yeah? Well he's just as well off one place as another," Ace replied bitterly, "By the way ma'am, the name's Ace. What's yours?"

"A-Ace?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked nervously.

Sanford had told her all about his former crime boss and how he had to run away from Townsville because he had shot him. She looked at Ace's chest, and saw that there was indeed a huge dark scar that would indicate a serious injury, possible a gunshot wound. Her face went pale and her blood went cold. This man was the one her son had almost killed, and now her son was badly hurt. The implication was clear in her mind.

" _You_ _did this_ ," She whispered accusingly.

"Excuse me?" Ace asked.

"You did this to him, didn't you?" She demanded to know, her voice cracking from the pent-up emotion, "You hurt my son! You tried to kill my boy!"

"What? No way! You can't pin this on me!" Ace should defensively, "I saved your son, lady! I even stabbed a guy for him!"

"After all that's happened why should I believe you?" She asked heatedly.

"Oh, come on! Why would I hurt your son? I don't even know him!" Ace tried to reason with her, "I just saved him because I know what it's like to get beat up for bein' green. I have no reason to do this to him."

"So you're not Ace Copular?" She asked to be sure.

"Huh? How do you know my name?" Ace asked, starting to feel uneasy in this house in a room crammed with furniture and chachkis.

"So it is you," She stated rather than asked, "I knew it. You've tracked down Sanford to exact your revenge."

"Revenge? Wait, is he uh, is he from a rival...gang?" Ace asked uncomfortably, only just now realizing that he could have a history with this person and not even know it.

"You don't remember?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked stonily, "Is the Gangreen Gang so large that you could forget something like this?"

"I, uh, I dunno," Ace admitted, "I don't know how many of us there are. Look, whatever beef my gang had with Sanford is all in the past now, okay? I'm not part of dat gang no more. I'm startin' over. If Sanford is willin' to forgive me, then I'm willin' to forgive him."

Just then, Sanford opened his eyes and groaned in pain. Ace and Snake's mother turned at once to regard him, and Snake looked up at the ceiling to see that he was home. He then looked around and saw Ace was standing there in his house. He tried to scoot away from Ace, but his body was too badly beaten to move. It reminded him of the Powerpuff Girls.

"The ambulance is coming, Sanford," His mother said encouragingly, "You'll be alright, sweetheart. Just rest."

Ace didn't say anything, in fact he turned away from the mother and son. He felt like he was intruding on their moment. He felt like if this was someone he was supposed to hate that he should probably leave. Then again, it might be someone who could tell him something about his past and about his gang. If the Gangreen Gang was as dangerous as the Plague Rats had been, then Ace was probably going to die soon. He had to know.

"Mama...Accce..." Snake tried to warn his mother.

"I know, dear. He told me," She replied solemnly, "He also said he forgives you."

Snake was surprised to hear that, and he turned his head to Ace for confirmation.

"Yeah, well, I don't exactly know what happened," Ace shrugged, "But, uh, I left my gang. I figure whatever we did to you, it was probably wrong. Hopefully we can put it behind us."

"Really? Jussst like that?" Snake asked skeptically, "Alssso, why did you leave the gang?"

"They're tryin' to kill me," Ace told him, "I came to Citysburg so none of 'em would find me. I don't know what I'm gonna do or where I'm gonna live, but right now my life is all I got left and I'm not givin' it away to some gangster's bullet."

"They tried to kill you?" Snake asked in surprise.

Snake was shocked by this news. Last time he saw the gang Arturo had blamed him for shooting Ace, none of them trusted him, and he was told to run if he didn't want Ace to wake up and kill him. They had been so angry at him, especially Arturo. Now it seemed like Ace was telling him that the gang was going to kill Ace just like Snake almost did. It didn't make sense, and he wondered if it meant he could go home to Townsville.

"So you're trying to give up the gang lifestyle?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked Ace.

"Yes, ma'am," Ace replied, "I don't know how I got in so deep in the first place, but I want out."

Okay, now _that_ sounded like a lie to Snake. He remembered how Ace had carefully formed his gang, choosing kids with green skin and useful abilities. He had wanted to rule Townsville for as long as Snake had known him. Snake also knew that Ace was especially good at manipulating women, since he could employ a mixture of flirting and feigning being persecuted and misunderstood. Snake was sure of it then; Ace was up to something.

"Are you willing to be friends with Sanford again?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked intently.

"Again? We was friends?" Ace asked in confusion as he looked at Snake.

"Ha ha," Snake ground out the sarcastic laughter, "I hates you..."

"Yeah, I got dat," Ace replied sourly, "By the way, you're welcome for savin' your life, ya jerk!"

Before Snake could reply Ace stormed out of the house and slammed the door. It was a few minutes later that the ambulance came to pick up Snake.

As Ace stomped down the sidewalk he came across a pancake house that was open 24 hours a day. He didn't have money for food, but he wanted to go inside to use their bathroom. Everyone looked at the half-naked blood-stained green skinned man in shock, but nobody stopped him from getting to the john.

When Ace got out to wash his hands he got a good look at himself in the mirror. He looked like some sort of serial killing vampire out of a horror movie. No wonder that lady talked to him like he was the devil! He noticed amid the blood stains and scars however a tattoo on his right bicep in blue and black ink. It read: GGG.

"Gangreen Gang," Ace muttered quietly to himself, "So, it's like that, huh? Gangreen for life. Shoulda known. That's the same spot where the old man had his Plague Rats ink. I hope he's dead. There don't need to be two of us runnin' around."


	16. The Night Townsville Died

_Author's Notes: I've tried to work on other fanfic projects this weekend, but once again this is the story that inspired me the most. I don't even know what it is about this story, but lately I just can't stop writing it. I hope you guys enjoy this bit of insanity, and if you want to please review :)_

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Chapter 16

The Night Townsville Died

Ace didn't know what time it was, but he was sure it was after 10:00 PM. It might even be midnight at this point. He'd had such a long day, what with leaving the hospital, wandering Townsville, leaving Townsville, and then saving the life of that ingrate from the rival gang. He still couldn't believe that was all in a single day, and now he was so tired he considered just collapsing on the sidewalk.

As he walked Ace could hear gunfire in the distance, and he picked up his pace to get further away from it. He was starting to regret his decision to come to Citysburg, as it somehow seemed even more dangerous than Townsville; which Ace hadn't believed possible.

After a little while Ace finally found a place where he was sure no one would kick him out for sleeping: the city dump. He climbed over the fence with ease and walked around in search of an old mattress or car. He briefly considered that there could be junkyard dogs around, but since the people were so dangerous already Ace wasn't too worried about a few pooches.

Ace found an old Volkswagen van from the 1960s. It was completely rusted over, but at least these types of vans were big enough to comfortably house a human body. He just hoped there wasn't already a human body in there.

He opened the door, and the inside smelled like a concentrated version of the trash smell already surrounding him. Ace nearly gagged, but then decided to go inside anyway since he needed a place to sleep and he was anything but picky. When he crawled inside the sticky shag carpet felt like a welcome relief for the tired man. He had to scrunch up a little to fit since he was so tall, but after a moment he was able to get reasonably comfortable. He then noticed that under one of the seats was a broken pair of sunglasses.

"Aw, crud!" Ace suddenly exclaimed, "I left my shades in Townsville!"

Ace was feeling pretty sour about that. Those sunglasses were the only thing left from Ace's old life before he went into foster care. They weren't a gift exactly, but they were a reminder of the worst day of his life...and of the light that can shine through the darkness.

...

"Come on, ya brat! Get dressed!" Ace's dad yelled at his 10 year old son.

"But why am I goin'?" Ace argued, "You never take me with you on a drug deal."

"Yeah boss, this might not be safe for the kid," Manic Mike pointed out, "What if this 'novelist' guy turns out to be a narc?"

"Yeah, like they're really gonna fly a narc in all the way from England," Ace's dad replied sarcastically, "Look son, I already told ya. Get dressed, stay quiet, and look like ya got some sense! The Plague Rats are gonna be immortalized, and your name's gonna be in there too. So don't embarrass me!"

Ace pouted, but trudged back to his room to get his good clothes. He could still hear the gang talking, even though they tried to be quiet so he wouldn't hear.

"Boss, you really think this is a good idea?" Crosseyed Jim asked.

"Sure," Ace's dad replied nonchalantly, "We'll be famous, just like Al Capone and Bonnie and Clyde. Just think, a writer is gonna tell the whole world how fearsome, how awesome, and how powerful the Plague Rats are! I mean, do you know how many gangs gets whole books written about them? Not many."

"But why we gotta bring the kid?" Bruno groused.

"Because families make the main character look more endearin'," Ace's dad reasoned, "Chicks will look at me and Ace and think 'Oh, that poor misunderstood soul! I bet I can save him!', and then next thing ya know I got more action than I know what to do with, and our gang looks good to the media."

"Is that why yer leavin' the old lady at home?" Bruiser snickered.

"Shaddup," Ace's dad deadpanned.

Ace came out of his room a few minutes later dressed like a complete goober, and he scowled at his dad disapprovingly. He was wearing a blue sweater vest, a white shirt, a red bow tie, khaki pants, and polished black dress shoes.

"Alright, everybody's here," Ace's dad replied, ignoring little Ace glaring daggers at him, "Now, let's go get famous! Bruno, Mike, grab the stuff. Bruiser, Rocco, get the guns. Ace, don't say anythin' unless your told! Now, let's go."

As the group piled into their cars Ace felt really uncomfortable getting involved in this. He was always around his dad's gang, and he knew vaguely how their deals and scams went, but he'd never had to go to one himself. Now not only was he going, but there was going to be some foreign author there to record the whole thing. He felt like his dad's pawn, but he knew it was better to be a pawn than a punching bag, so he grit his teeth and tried to not show how much he hated this.

They pulled up to a warehouse, and Ace got out of the back seat of Bruno's Mustang. There was already a man waiting for them, and Ace was immediately impressed by how sharp this guy looked. He wore pointed sunglasses, had slicked up black hair, and wore a grey suit like a news anchor. In this part of town with all these green grungy looking men, this pale well-dressed man stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Good evening, gents," The man greeted them in a friendly manner, "When do you believe your customers will arrive on the scene?"

"Not for another hour," Ace's dad replied, "Dat way we got time to talk."

"Excellent," The suited man replied with a smile, "After you, Mr. Copular."

"Hey, hey, hey! None of dat _Mr. Copular_ stuff," Ace's dad warned, "You call me Fang, got it? We're friends. _Right_?"

"Oh, of course. Pardon me, Fang," The suited man flustered, "Oh, and who is this young chap?"

Ace had been spotted, and for once in his life of squalor and depravity he actually felt ashamed for someone to see him. The confidence and ease with which the writer carried himself made Ace feel like he wasn't good enough to talk to the guy. So, he hid behind his dad's leg, but his dad moved away to expose him to the newcomer's scrutiny.

"Dis here's my son, Ace Copular," Fang introduced his son with a pride Ace had never heard in his voice before, though Ace knew it was an act.

The writer then bent down to be closer to Ace's eye level and said, "Good evening, lad. My name is Joseph Gribberish. I'm so pleased to make your acquaintance. You know lad, I have a son that's only a couple years younger than you. Perhaps some time you and your parents can drop by so you can play together."

"You'd let me in your house?" Fang asked skeptically.

"I try not to pass judgment," Mr. Gribberish replied smoothly, "Besides, children crave to be around other children. Why should we as stuffy old adults deny them their most basic of needs? Now, I would like to ask you and your cohorts a few questions about your operation."

"Sure, but let's go inside," Fang said as he motioned for the warehouse, "Don't want any cops seein' us out here."

"Indeed not," Mr. Gribberish agreed, "It would ruin the flow of the narrative."

Fang laughed at Joseph's funny manner of speaking and complete concentration on a story at the expense of common sense. Everyone went inside, including Ace, and they all had to adjust to the darkness of the warehouse after having spent so much time in the sun.

As the writer began to ask his questions of the gang Ace began to feel bored. It was just questions about why they got into drug dealing, who their enemies were, and why the gang mentality was an important factor for the success of their operations. Ace knew all this stuff already, and it was mind-numbing listening to his dad and his dad's friends posture and try to make themselves sound good. What a joke! Ace could tell this British guy didn't have any real problems, and probably had a lot of money if he could fly all the way to America. He wasn't going to be impressed by a loser like Fang Copular.

As Ace started wiping polish off his shoe with his finger and making designs on the floor he wondered what kind of life a writer's kid had. This father looked so joyous when talking about his son. Was it an act, or could a father actually love his son? Ace wished he had a dad that wholeheartedly spoke about him like he was worth talking about. Then again maybe the writer's kid was legitimately better than Ace. When the subject switched to children Mr. Gribberish spoke of how brilliant and creative his son was. Ace wasn't an artist or a genius. He was just a burden to his parents.

Just as these thoughts went through Ace's head, he saw a hand offering him a piece of candy. It was Mr. Gribberish, who was still listening to Fang talk but who had also noticed Ace was bored. Ace smiled up at the man and took the candy, and then was surprised to see the stuffy looking author make a face at him. Ace couldn't help himself; he made a face right back.

For a few more minutes things went back to being dull for the child. He ate his candy and continued to draw on the ground in black shoe polish. He drew a bird in a bowler hat, heading off for England. Under the picture he wrote his name, wishing that he could be that bird. He imagined everyone across the pond was just as cool and well dressed as Mr. Gribberish, and that as a bird he could live on top of Big Ben.

Just then the door suddenly slammed open, and at least two dozen cops surrounded the gang!

"Police! Put your hands on the ground! NOW!" One of the cops screamed at the gangsters.

"I knew it!" Mike exclaimed, "The customer was a narc!"

The cops screamed at the gangsters again, but rather than surrender several members grabbed guns and started shooting at the police! The police started shooting back, and Ace was frozen in terror on the ground at seeing the shootout so close.

Joseph Gribberish on instinct dove for Ace and covered the child's body with his own. Ace felt himself being slammed to the ground and the next thing he knew he was looking at his own reflection in Gribberish's shades. Ace felt himself tear up, and the man whispered "Stay down, lad". Ace could barely hear him over the gunfire.

The next thing Ace knew he felt something bite him on the shoulder, and felt the full weight of Mr. Gribberish fall on him; pinning him to the ground. Ace struggled enough to get his head out of there, and realized a moment later that Mr. Gribberish had been shot. Ace looked around and saw that the chaos was already over. Several gang members lay dead, including Manic Mike. His dad had surrendered and was being cuffed by police. There were also a few dead and injured police officers. He was also vaguely aware that his shoulder was bleeding.

It took several minutes for the cops to notice Ace under the dead body of Joseph Gribberish. Ace allowed the cops to lead him away, but not before swiping the sunglasses his savior had been wearing. He had only met the man once, but he still wanted something to remember him by.

...

Adult Ace lay down in that junked up van and thought about that day. For him the worst part wasn't that he had lost his old life, that wasn't worth much anyway, but that his dad had lived instead of that reporter. The man was a stranger to Ace, yet he was still willing to give his life for a child he'd only just met. That meant there was a little boy out there somewhere that had lost a good father, and it was Ace's fault.

What made it worse is that Ace knew he wasn't worth it. Even without his recent memories he knew he was a bad kid. He was born a bad kid, and he would probably die a bad man. He picked on the younger kids in his group home, he stole, and he beat people up. If that was how he behaved in the group home, then he could only imagine what kind of adult he grew up to be. It wasn't fair that his life had to be saved only for him to ruin any small chance he had of not being a loser like his old man.

He never even got to ask him why. Why would that writer risk and ultimately lose his life for the son of some punk? Was it because he was a father? Was that just something all good fathers did, or was there something about Ace that made the man show him kindness and pity?

Ace reached under the seat and grabbed the broken pair of sunglasses. He put them on, being able to see clearly out of one side because of the hole, and went to sleep. Maybe in his dreams he could be a bird and fly to England.

* * *

The Powerpuffs and Rowdyruffs were on the trail of Ace of the Gangreen Gang. At first the Rowdyruff Boys didn't know what their target looked like, so Grubber had to show them a wanted poster of Ace since those were generally the only photographs of the delinquents. After that everyone flew or walked through their assigned parts of town to search for the missing gang leader.

Buttercup and Butch got stuck working together, and it was already driving Buttercup crazy. First of all, she didn't even want to be on this mission. Second, Butch kept making farting noises with his lips and armpits. Yep, Buttercup was ready to kill him.

"Will you shut up and keep looking!?" Buttercup snapped at Butch when he started making belching noises.

"I _am_ looking!" Butch snapped defensively, "And I don't see anything. How hard is it to find a green dude in Townsville?"

"Not as hard as I'd like it to be," Buttercup muttered, "Look, when we find Ace don't be surprised if he tries to turn you over to his side. He's not powerful like us, but he's very good at making people do what he wants."

"You mean like hypnotizing people?" Butch asked, "I remember Him tried that once. When it didn't work he said we didn't have brains to wash. I think he was just bad at it."

"No, it's not like hypnotizing," Buttercup corrected, "It's more like...Ace has a way of figuring out what you want to hear, and then saying it to you so you like him. He's fooled a lot of people into thinking he's not a bad guy when he clearly is. I just don't know why Blossom would be so willing to help a Gangreen out."

"Maybe it's a prank," Butch shrugged, "She could find Ace, but then give him cooties or something."

"That only worked on you bozos," Buttercup scoffed, "Also, why did that work on you bozos?"

"Because Mojo Jojo made us in a toilet," Butch laughed, "Seriously though, it's not fair! You girls were born in a lab in a perfect little house, and the boys and me were born in a prison crapper! I mean, I'm pretty sure the Chemical X in that thing came from Mojo's pee. What was he thinking?"

"Eww! No wonder you're so screwed up!" Buttercup laughed in return.

"I know, right?" Butch agreed.

The green team continued to search downtown, while down near the pier the blue team was still looking for any signs of Ace.

"Do you see anything yet, Boomer?" Bubbles asked.

"Yeah, I see our blue streaks reflected in the water," Boomer commented, "That is so cool!"

"Not that! Have you seen Ace?" Bubbles clarified in an annoyed tone of voice.

"Uh, not yet," Boomer replied, "Hey, Bubbles! Check out that fight in the alley a couple blocks away! Ooh, can we watch? Huh, can we?"

"Fight?" Bubbles repeated curiously.

Bubbles then used her ultra super vision to see what Boomer was seeing, and sure enough, it was a street brawl. There were three guys that wore blue scarves on their arms, which meant they were likely Taser Blades. The one Bubbles recognized though was the other party involved in the fight, namely Big Billy. Billy was holding his own against the Taser Blades, but it was clear he was outnumbered and soon he would probably fall to them if nothing was done.

"We have to help him!" Bubbles exclaimed worriedly.

"Which one?" Boomer asked.

"The big guy," Bubbles instructed, "He's one of the Gangreen Gang, and he's probably out looking for Ace too. Come on!"

With those words Bubbles flew down and immediately knocked out one of the Taser Blades. The others gasped in horror at seeing a Powerpuff Girl. Every criminal in Townsville knew better than to mess with these tiny powerhouses of justice. When the other two members of the gang turned to run away Boomer flew down and accidentally plowed into one of them, leaving the other to escape.

"Ow!" Boomer exclaimed irritably, "Watch where you're goin', ya jerk!"

The other guy tried to get away, but Bubbles grabbed him by the shirt tail and swung him around like a baton before throwing him in an open trash can! The dazed man saw stars dance around his head before he passed out, and now all that was left was Bubbles, Boomer, and Billy. Big Billy thought he was in trouble too, so he backed away, ready to run.

"Wait, don't go!" Bubbles called out, and that made Billy stop, "Have you seen Ace?"

"Dah, Ace kicked Billy. It hurt," Billy recalled, "Uh, Billy no can find Ace."

"We can't either," Bubbles told him, "Where did you last see him?"

"The house," Billy replied dully.

"Um, what house?" Bubbles asked.

"Uh, our house," Billy tried to elaborate.

"Yeah, but where is your house, stupid?" Boomer asked impatiently.

"Uh..." Billy tried to remember the name of the street, but nothing was coming to him.

"Think Billy, think!" Bubbles implored him, "If we know which direction Ace was going in, then we might be able to find him."

"Did he say anything before he left?" Boomer inquired.

" _Don't ask him that_ ," Bubbles whispered to Boomer, " _Billy can only think of one thing at once. He's kind of slow_."

"Uh, Monster Chomp Lane?" Billy guessed.

"Monster _Stomp_ Lane," Bubbles corrected him, "I know where that's at. It's a pretty bad part of town. Which way do you think Ace went?"

"I dunno," Billy replied, "Billy didn't see which way. Ace seemed real upset, but Ace always seems upset so...I dunno."

"This guy doesn't know anything," Boomer said in annoyance, "Let's just keep looking on our own."

"Wait!" Billy shouted, "Why Powerpuffs looking for boss?"

"Because he could get hurt," Bubbles told him, "Ace wasn't supposed to leave the hospital, and he needs to go back to recover."

"That and Blossom told us to," Boomer added.

"So...Powerpuff Girls no beat up Ace?" Billy asked suspiciously.

"No, not this time," Bubbles replied casually.

"Duh, okay," Billy replied, satisfied by the answer, "Billy keep looking."

"We will too," Bubbles promised, "Goodbye Billy."

"Buh-bye!" Billy waved as Bubbles and Boomer flew away.

The blue team didn't have a definitive lead, but they would fly to the crummy end of town and see if Ace was sleeping off a binge in some alley or something. They would have to wait until the next day to ask questions of business employees since it was so late, but they would keep trying.

Blossom meanwhile was still looking around the area of Townsville park and the lake. Every now and then she would text Grubber to ask if he found anything uptown, but neither one of them seemed to get any closer to finding out the truth. She even looked in the window of Mojo Jojo's lair just in case there was another super villain team up or something, but nothing panned out. She received another text from Grubber, and sat down on a building's roof so she could read without crashing into a skyscraper or something.

Grubber: Blossom, I think it's time we end the search for tonight. You have school tomorrow, and it's after midnight.

Blossom: But Grubber, we haven't found anything yet! It's like Ace just disappeared off the face of the earth O.O

Grubber: I know Blossom, and I appreciate your dedication to your work, but you're going to wear yourself out. I will resume the search tomorrow, and you can help me after school if you feel like it.

Blossom: Why do you think he left the hospital? Is Ace afraid of needles or something?

Grubber: Pfft! Afraid of needles? You don't know much about life on the streets, do you? No, Blossom. Ace was probably looking for Snake.

Blossom: Why? Is this because Snake left the Gangreen Gang?

Grubber: Yes.

Of course that wasn't the whole story, but Grubber wasn't ready to confess to a Powerpuff Girl that Snake had almost killed Ace, even if she was someone he considered trustworthy. It would be her job to arrest Snake, and Grubber couldn't have that.

Blossom: Is Ace mad at Snake for leaving? Do you think he would hurt Snake?

Grubber: I'm not going to lie, it is possible. Ace has always had a hot temper, and those two tend to bring out the worst in each other.

Blossom: Grubber? Can I ask you a personal question? Why are you in the Gangreen Gang? I mean, I know you don't have any family in Townsville, but why them?

Grubber: I didn't join them at first. For years I survived on my own. Let's be honest though, people are made to be with other people, and the Gangreen Gang just happen to be the people that want to be with me. We give what we need to each other, and we don't take very much away. At least, that's always how I viewed it before. Lately though, it's not like that. Too much has been taken from us, and not enough is given in return. Yet, I will never leave them. I suppose at this point it's because they are my family, the brothers that blood ties never gave me.

As Blossom read his statement she could tell that he didn't plan anything out as he texted her. It was as if she was reading his stream of consciousness; kind of like a poem written at the spur of the moment.

Blossom: Don't worry Grubber. I'll find Ace, and hopefully I'll find him before he finds Snake.

Grubber: No, you need to rest tonight. You're still a growing girl (sort of) and these all-nighters are going to cause cognitive impairment.

Blossom: Hey Grubber? Are you angry at Snake? For leaving, I mean.

Grubber: No. He did what he had to do. I only hope that next time I see him he's in a better mental state. Snake may not have Ace's sadistic tendencies, but he isn't exactly what I would classify as stable. If you do find them fighting, just don't hurt them too badly.

Blossom: I won't. I promise.


	17. Confrontation

_Author's Notes: Hi guys, and welcome back to the story! I don't have much to say here, except I'm grateful for the support for this fic and I hope you enjoy this new chapter :)_

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Chapter 17

Confrontation

It was 4:30 AM, and Snake was just being released from the emergency room. The doctors had looked over his stab wounds, but fortunately for him they had been barely more than scrapes. It took about 40 stitches total, but Snake's arms were soon sealed up and ready to heal. He also had a CT scan to check for a concussion, but it came back negative. Snake wasn't surprised. He got knocked out by the Powerpuff Girls all the time, and he always healed eventually. This was just a beating by some normies with a complex. No big deal.

His mother helped him to her car as he was still sore and had a little trouble walking. He got in her wood panel station wagon and they drove toward the townhouse. Snake worried about what his mother would say to him. He had led Ace right to their home and anything could have happened to them. Would she kick him out for allowing his past to follow him to her door? He wouldn't blame her if she did.

"Do you want me to stop by a drive-thru for you, dear?" She asked him when they stopped at a red light.

"No thanksss," Snake replied wearily, "I'm not hungry."

"This Ace character..." _Here it comes_ , Snake thought as she spoke, "...Do you believe he will try to kill you now that he knows where we live?"

"Possssibly," Snake replied sullenly, "He isssn't one to forgive and forget."

"He said he forgave you," His mother pointed out hopefully.

"He lied," Snake replied darkly, "He doess that. Uses hiss charm to make people think he'sss on the level, and then when their guard isss down..."

Snake didn't finish his statement, but he didn't need to. He knew his mother could put the pieces together.

"He's not going to get to you, Sanford," His mother said with conviction, "I've been thinking about this since we got to the hospital, and I can only see one way out of this."

"Should I ssstart packing when we get home?" Snake asked dejectedly.

"Yes," His mother replied, "Though it might take a few weeks for the house to sell."

"Sssell?" Snake asked in surprise, "What are you talking abouts?"

"I'm going to sell the townhouse, and then we are moving out of the state," She told him, "We'll have to change our names, and I'll have to get a job. You're still recovering, so you can take care of the new place while I work. I expect you to keep things tidy, however. If we make new friends I don't want them thinking I raised you in a barn."

"Sssell the house?" Snake repeated, "But you've lived there for thirty yearsss!"

"It's just a house," His mother replied dismissively, "You're my son. I know we don't always see eye to eye, but I'm not about to let you be murdered by some thug that thinks he's above the law. Besides, he knows my face. I'm involved now. We're going to get through this, Sanford. We just have to act quickly. We can stay in a motel while the house is on the market. No sense being sitting ducks."

Snake couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had often questioned in his life whether his mother loved him, and now she was about to surrender her home and showplace just to keep him safe. It felt like too much. He knew how much that house and that neighborhood meant to his mother. It wasn't just a house. It was her weekly bridge games and book club with her friends. It was memories and countless hours making everything perfect. It was the only decent thing she ever got out of being married to her awful husband and Snake's awful father. It was her home.

Snake also thought about what it would be like trying to live with his mother in an unfamiliar city far away from everything they had ever known. A fresh start sounded nice on paper, but he doubted it would be enough. Ace was crafty, and if he was determined to kill Snake then he would find a way. Not only that, but he and his mother would have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their days; living in fear of the day they were discovered.

When they got home Snake's mother helped him up the stairs, insisting that her bed was more comfortable for him than the couch bed. Snake tried to protest, but she simply wouldn't hear it.

"I normally wouldn't allow you to sleep the day away, but you've had a harrowing experience," She said to him as she tucked him in, "When you wake up I'll make you some pancakes. Oh, that reminds me. I still need to go to the store for milk."

"But Mama, Accce..." Snake whispered fearfully.

"I'll be careful," His mother assured him, "Besides, I'm sure I can spot a green man with bloody jeans running around Citysburg. Goodnight, Sanford. Pleasant dreams."

"Thank you, Mama," Snake replied gratefully.

She took his hat and laid it on the nightstand. She then closed the door behind her, and he could hear her leave the house as she went to get milk.

It all felt like too much. He wasn't worth all this. This level of love and acceptance was all Snake had ever wanted from his mother, yet now that he got it he couldn't enjoy it because he was being hunted by his old gang leader. He was finally seeing the caring and giving individual his mother could be, and yet she was probably going to be tortured and murdered because of him. He knew Ace would probably make him watch, too. He'd once seen Ace tie a kindergarten teacher to a chair and force her to watch as he abused and tortured her class, one kid at a time. There hadn't even been a reason. Ace just felt like doing it.

Snake came to a decision then. He couldn't let his mother's life be ruined by his dumb mistake. He was the one that joined the Gangreen Gang, and he was the one that led Ace to their house when he was too injured and helpless to protect her. This was Snake's battle, and Snake's alone.

He struggled to get out of his mother's king size bed, and then he put on his hat. He went to his father's old den and found the display case with his dad's prized hunting rifles. He opened the case and checked the guns for bullets. He found one that had two rounds inside. He nodded, knowing he wouldn't need more than that.

With gun in hand and body still sore Snake left the townhouse, locking the door behind him. There was only one way to end this nightmare. He had to find Ace.

* * *

Morning at the Utonium home was rife with its usual chaos. The professor made breakfast amid the zipping and buzzing of little bolts of light around his head. The girls and boys were all hungry and eagerly awaiting their eggs and bacon with orange juice. The professor more than once had to duck because the boys were flying too close to his head.

Five little faces with big bulbous eyes stared up at him as he served their meals, and then five little heads started shoveling food in their mouths like starving castaways. The professor smiled and softly chuckled to himself, just so happy with his extended family. Living with the boys was proving to be a bit of a challenge, but the professor found himself growing to love his new sons more and more with each passing day. It also helped that the girls were being so supportive of the new arrangement. He truly felt like the luckiest man in the world.

Bubbles then lifted a hand to her ear to use her super hearing, and then shouted "The bus is only a block away! Hurry!"

Everyone started eating faster and then grabbing their backpacks for school.

"So what are we supposed to do all day?" Butch asked, "We got suspected, remember?"

"The word is _suspended_ , Butch!" Boomer corrected him smugly.

"Now boys, don't you worry. I'll tutor you until you're allowed back in school," The professor replied with a paternal smile, "After all, how hard could teaching be?"

"Good luck, Professor," Blossom said in a voice that just screamed 'you're in trouble'.

The girls then flew out to meet the bus, but then Blossom reached into her dress pocket and realized-

"Oh no! I forgot my phone!" Blossom panicked.

"I'll get it," Buttercup offered.

"Thanks. You're the best," Blossom said quickly as she and Bubbles boarded the bus.

Buttercup flew into the window and was having trouble locating Blossom's phone. It wasn't on the charger or in its usual spot. Buttercup didn't mind getting it since she preferred flying to school as opposed to the bus anyway, but this was taking way too long! She could already hear the professor moving the coffee table and some chairs to make a classroom for the boys. She had to hurry!

After a few more minutes of frantic searching Buttercup found Blossom's phone under the blanket of their bed.

"Yeesh, she was probably texting all night," Buttercup snickered, "She's turning into another Bubbles."

Buttercup then flew out the window and toward the school. She was probably going to be late again, but then again tardiness wasn't exactly something that bothered Buttercup. She was a superhero after all. These things happened.

When she was almost to the school Blossom's phone buzzed with a new text message. Buttercup knew she wasn't supposed to look at her sister's private messages, but the phone was already in her hand and curiosity often got the better of her, so she tapped the notification to see who it was.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello, Blossom. I hope this message finds you in good spirits today. I think I finally got Billy calmed down from last night. He was afraid your sister Bubbles was going to beat up Ace. Pfft! Arturo is currently acting leader of the gang with both Ace and Snake MIA. Wait, can we even still call ourselves a gang with only three people? Oh well, semantics and all that. Anyway, let me know if you find out anything about Ace, and I hope you have a productive school day :P

"What the?" Buttercup whispered as she landed next to the outside wall of the school, "Grubber? He sure seems awfully chummy for someone who just came by asking for help. Why is he using a username on a poetry website? We know who he is. Hm, something about this seems fishy..."

Buttercup wanted to make sure nothing bad was happening with Blossom, and she figured the best way to figure that out was to see how Grubber interacted with her sister, and the best way to do that was...

EverythingNice98: Hi, Grubber. No news about Ace yet, but we're still looking. How's your poetry going? LOL!

Buttercup figured asking about the subject of the website was a safe way to start a conversation. If the site was just a front then the 'LOL!' would make it look like 'Blossom' was in on the joke.

WildThing-HeartStrings: I haven't had time to get my thoughts down on paper yet, but I've had a lovely string of sentences dancing around in my head for hours now. I suppose writing is how I cope with situations where I'm helpless, which frankly is almost every situation. Pfft! :P

Okay, _that_ seemed too personal for just a typical bad guy being forced to ally himself with a hated enemy. Buttercup scowled, knowing that she had just stumbled upon something very disturbing. Grubber was befriending Blossom, and given that Buttercup had heard the username WildThing-HeartStrings in passing before, she would guess that this had been going on for a long time. Her heart pounded, and her blood boiled. The Gangreen Gang was trying to use Blossom! They were trying to groom her for their own insidious villainous purposes, and Buttercup wasn't going to let them get away with it!

* * *

Ace snored loudly as he slept in the old hippie van, his long legs hanging out the back. His morning snooze was interrupted however when something poked him. He grumbled and slowly sat up to see who it was and what they wanted. His eyes slowly opened, and then suddenly popped open when he saw that it was that Sanford guy, and he was holding a rifle!

"You!" Ace exclaimed, unable to form another coherent word.

"Accce," Snake hissed calmly, looking him dead in the eye, "Niccce glassess."

Ace growled and yanked the broken shades off his face. He stared defiantly back at the armed rival gangster. He knew Sanford was probably going to kill him, so he figured he best die like a man. He scooted himself out of the van and stood up to his full height, and was surprised that the other guy actually backed away a little in fear. What exactly happened between these two that Ace could still be so scary to a man with a gun?

"What do you want, Sanford?" Ace asked directly, not willing to play any games with this psycho.

"I want thisss to end," Snake declared.

Without warning, Snake then pushed the gun into Ace's hands. Ace fumbled a little but managed to get a hold of the rifle, and then looked back to see Snake kneeling on the ground holding his hat; the back of his head facing Ace.

"What the?" Ace asked uncomprehendingly.

"The gang will take you back if you bring them my dead body," Snake explained, "I won't fight you anymores. I only asssk for one thing. Let your bloodlussst end with me. Don't hurt my mama, or the ressst of the gang."

"You're Snake..." Ace muttered softly in realization, and then in a louder voice shouted, "You shot me, you rat! You fink!"

"That the bessst you gots?" Snake scoffed, "Jussst do it, okay? I know you wants to."

"Do you have _any_ idea what you did to me?" Ace asked furiously, "You took away half my life! I ain't got no home, I ain't got no friends, and I can't even remember why! All because of _you_!"

Snake was shaking a little, but he stayed on his knees and held still; knowing Ace would probably shoot him any moment. Ace was shaking too, but mostly in rage. This guy tried to kill him, and then was ungrateful after Ace saved his life. Then again, Ace couldn't help but feel like something wasn't right about this situation as he stood there holding a stranger's gun staring at a man ready to die. What did he do to Snake to make him both homicidal and suicidal?

"Snake," Ace addressed him.

"Yesss, Accce?" Snake replied nervously.

"Are you sorry? For shootin' me, I mean," Ace inquired.

"Why doesss that matter?" Snake asked bitterly, "I threw everything away the moment I did."

"You want to live? All you gotta do is say it," Ace told him, "Just say you're sorry, and I'll let it go. Two words. Can you do dat, _Snake_?"

"I'm sssorry," Snake replied, hoping for his life that Ace was sincere.

"Okay then," Ace nodded, and then placed the rifle in the van, "Now get out."

Snake stood up and tried to wipe some of the crud off his shorts with his hands. He looked back at Ace, who was glaring at him but making no move to attack him. He then turned to walk away, but then Ace whistled to stop him.

"Hey!" Ace shouted, "I forgot to ask. How did you know I'd be in the dump?"

"I know how you thinks," Snake shrugged, "We've been bessst friendsss for 12 yearsss. I think I know you by now."

"If we're best friends, then why did you shoot me?" Ace asked crossly.

"Becaussse you alwayss hit me!" Snake yelled; the outburst causing Ace to flinch a little, "You treat me like garbage, and you sssay ssso many cruel thingss to me! I've alwaysss obeyed you, and alwayss sstood by your ssside! You ussse me, and you hurt me, and I jussst couldn't take it anymore! I'm not even sure if my nossse hass any feeling left in it! And while I've apologizzed to you, you never sssaid sssorry to me."

Ace was taken aback by Snake's words, but wasn't exactly surprised that he was like that to his friend. Ace had already figured out his adult life was full of hurtful actions and illegal activity. He couldn't remember any of it, but it was clear that he had grown up to be a monster.

"I'm sorry, Snake," Ace replied softly, "Yer right. I, uh, probably didn't say it before. I'm also guessin' I didn't treat you the way you deserved. I say _guessin'_ because, well...I can't remember any of it. When I woke up in the hospital I thought I was 13 years old, because that's as far as I can remember. I don't remember meetin' you, or the gang, or my life after that. I don't even know how I got out of the group home."

"You don't remembers?" Snake asked, "Are you jussst sssaying that to trick me?"

"No. I mean it," Ace replied, "Look, it don't matter. It's obvious I'm a bum anyway, so I'll just stay here with the rest of the trash. You don't gotta worry about me no more. I meant what I said. You apologized, so I'll let it go. Take care, Snake."

"You can't ssstay out here like thisss!" Snake exclaimed worriedly, "You have a head injury! You could relapssse! You need to go back to the gang."

"Will they wanna kill me?" Ace asked worriedly.

"No. You're our leader," Snake replied encouragingly, "We would all be dead without you. We know thats."

"We?" Ace asked hopefully, "So, you'll come back with me?"

"You...wants me back?" Snake asked in disbelief, "But you know I shot you."

"Yeah, but you said we was best friends for 12 years," Ace pointed out, "Dat's a long time. Dat's almost half my life."

"It iss half of mine," Snake replied with a cheeky smile.

"You see? Things had to have been good once," Ace supposed, "And they can be again. Look, I won't pretend I'm gonna be perfect, but I'm gonna try harder, okay? All I ever wanted my whole life was people that liked me. I never had friends when I was little, and if I've got 'em now then I'm gonna keep 'em. Go back to Townsville with me, and together we can make the Gangreen Gang better than it ever was before."

"Well..." Snake looked down at his dirty sneakers and the mud stained ground, and then looked back up at Ace and weakly said, "Okay."

Ace smiled and put his arm around Snake's shoulders, and together the two men walked out of the Citysburg dump.

"So, you think yer Ma will mind you goin' back to Townsville?" Ace asked casually.

"Honessstly, I think she'll be relieved," Snake chuckled softly as he made his way back to his old life of squalor and acceptance.

* * *

Blossom flew home from school feeling good about how the day's assignments went. She passed her math test with flying colors, and her honors English class was having an assignment that involved writing a journal as a fictional character. She would have to ask Grubber for some tips on that since she wasn't very creative in that way, and she was looking forward to the world they would build together.

As she walked through the door her sisters were just getting home and putting their backpacks on the peg. The boys were in the living room as well, putting away their chairs and books from their day of home schooling. When Buttercup looked at Blossom however, Blossom saw her sister's whole demeanor change into one of muted anger.

"Hello, _Blossom_ ," Buttercup greeted her coldly, "You forgot to pick up your cell phone between classes."

"Yeah, my first period was chemistry and that always distracts me," Blossom replied casually, though inside she was wondering what the devil set Buttercup off.

"You got a few text messages today," Buttercup told her sister, "From your online friend Wild Thing."

"Oh, what'd he say?" Blossom asked.

"He said they still haven't found Ace," Buttercup replied venomously, "Blossom, your online friend is Grubber! What the heck are you thinking!? _Grubber_? Why didn't you just friend Sedusa or Him on MyFace?"

"Hey, don't just jump to conclusions!" Blossom snapped defensively.

"Am I wrong?" Buttercup asked as she crossed her arms.

"Well...no," Blossom simpered.

At this point Bubbles and the boys noticed there was a fight going on, and they couldn't help but watch. Bubbles was worried about her sisters, while Boomer and Butch just wanted to see if they'd take a swing at each other.

"So you admit it then. You're friends with Grubber," Buttercup stated rather than asked, "Blossom, the Gangreen Gang is trouble! You know he's just using you for his own ends! They don't care about anybody but themselves. I mean, making friends with the Gangreen Gang is bad enough, but out of all of them why did it have to be Uncle Fester!?"

"I don't expect you to understand, and that's why I didn't tell you when I found out," Blossom argued, "Grubber isn't what he seems. It's hard to explain but...we have a lot in common."

"Yeah, you're both ugly!" Butch cackled loudly.

"What I _mean_ is," Blossom growled over Butch's laughter, "Grubber is smart, really smart. We both feel left out of our own social circles because no one else can understand us when we talk about intellectual topics. That's how it started anyway, but now...I feel like he's the first person to see me as more than just a perfect little Powerpuff Girl. He sees who I really am."

"Blossom, this can't end well for you," Buttercup warned her, "Believe it or not, I know what you're going through. Remember when I had that crush on Ace?"

"You had a crush on a dirty smelly gangster? Bwahahaha!" Butch started laughing uncontrollably.

"Shut up, Butch!" Buttercup barked, and then turned back to Blossom and continued, "What I'm trying to say is I remember how smooth Ace was. I remember how easy it was for him to trick me into thinking the gang was just misunderstood and naive. I fell for it, and I even started liking hanging out with them. Because I couldn't see what they were really up to it almost cost you and Bubbles your lives. I beat myself up over that so many times. Don't let them do to you what they did to me."

"It's not like that," Blossom replied firmly, "Grubber isn't trying to take advantage of me. Besides, they were teenagers then. They're adults now."

"Exactly," Buttercup countered, " _Adults_ , as in they've had more time to perfect their lying technique. These guys use and abuse, and if you're not careful something horrible could happen to you. You can't be friends with Grubber, or any of the rest of the gang."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Blossom argued, "I'm the leader."

"You're also the sucker!" Buttercup yelled, "You...I...I can't deal with this anymore!"

Buttercup then flew up to her room in a huff and slammed the door, leaving the other four siblings in the room.

"Blossom?" Bubbles carefully said, "I thought you said your friend was Snake."

"I thought he was Snake, at first," Blossom shrugged, "That was my mistake though, and Grubber didn't mean to deceive me."

"Blossom, if the Gangreen Gang does something bad, will you still be able to stop them?" Bubbles asked.

"Of-of course I will," Blossom replied unconvincingly, "I mean, they're still bad guys, and we're still superheroes, right?"

"Even if it's Grubber?" Bubbles asked pointedly.

Blossom schooled her features into perfect authority and said "Even if it's Grubber."

"Okay. Just be careful, Blossom," Bubbles said softly before flying up to her room to join Buttercup.

Blossom looked back at the boys, and Butch was still smiling trying hard not to laugh. Of course that facade lasted all of three seconds.

"Oh man, Buttercup liked Ace!" Butch snickered mischievously, "This'll be good for teasing Buttercup for ages! Now I gotta think of a good rhyme with Buttercup and Ace. Hm, maybe face? Or trace? Or base?"

Butch continued to mutter rhyming words as he floated up the stairs, leaving Blossom alone with Boomer.

"Well, whatever it is you're going to say, just say it," Blossom ordered sourly.

"Uh, I actually thought Grubber seemed kinda cool," Boomer replied awkwardly, not looking at Blossom, "He's kinda like Igor from that Young Frankenstein movie, what with the bulging eyes and all."

"So you don't think I'm making a mistake?" Blossom asked skeptically.

"I dunno," Boomer shrugged, "I mean, I've never had a friend before, so I don't know what to look for."

"Yeah, Grubber's the first real friend I've ever had too," Blossom admitted, "I mean, I've always hung out with the same kids as Bubbles and Buttercup, but I've never had a friend that was just mine. Someone who saw me as more than part of a package set. I know it's weird, but Grubber's almost been like a mentor to me. Someone older and wiser that's helped me find a part of myself I didn't know was there before."

"Yeah, I kinda get that," Boomer replied, "I feel like the professor has been that for me. I mean, I've been told my whole life I'm a bad kid so I just assumed it was true. It's weird, knowing someone thinks I'm good and expecting me to live up to that. It makes me want to believe I really am."

"Yeah, I've been told I'm good my whole life," Blossom recalled, "In fact, I've felt this pressure to succeed from the moment I was born. Like if I ever did anything bad the whole town would be destroyed and I would disgrace my family and the Powerpuff name. When I talk to Grubber though he helps me to realize the world won't end if I do something just because I want to do it. I can set off fireworks just to watch them sparkle. I can draw something silly just because I feel like it. I can do an assignment poorly and I won't magically turn into a blithering idiot. My sisters don't understand that, but Grubber does."

"I understand too," Boomer told her sympathetically, "And if you ever want to hang out and play or something, I won't mind."

Blossom smiled appreciatively at Boomer, feeling for the first time since he got there that he really was her little brother.


	18. Chasms In My Mind

_Author's Notes: I tried to balance out the story between all main characters involved in the chapter, and also in this chapter a new threat emerges. Hope you guys are enjoying this story so far :)_

* * *

Chapter 18

Chasms In My Mind

Out by the warehouse district, the notorious street gang known as the Taser Blades were hanging out not doing anything in particular. This gang was 10 members strong yet had been frequently humiliated by gangs half their size. The toughest known street gang in Townsville for years had been the Gangreen Gang, despite their practically nonexistent body count. Razor, the leader of the Taser Blades, was getting tired of being shown up.

"A'ight, we've gone over this every way we can go over it," Razor said to his crew, "And we gotta face facts. Our protection ring is useless unless we can figure out exactly where Gangreen territory ends so it don't cross over with us."

"Why don't we just claim more territory and kick the Gangreens out, boss?" One of his subordinates asked, "I mean, there's only five of them."

"Kyle, you're an idiot," Razor sighed longsufferingly, "The Gangreen Gang ain't a normal operation. They're _monsters_ , and they're better fighters than most of us can ever hope to be. I mean, could you survive a beatin' from the Puffs?"

"Well...maybe," Kyle weakly defended himself.

"I heard one of 'em is the son of the Mob Strangler," A spiky blonde commented as he flipped his pocket knife in and out of its handle, "Not to mention that Big Billy guy once stopped a train with his bare hands. Razor's right yo, we can't beat 'em."

"My my, such a shame," An ominous new voice suddenly said, and the Taser Blades turned their attention to a little figure in a trench coat, "Such promising young hoodlums, fighting over the scraps of gangs far superior to you in ability and organization. You are pathetic, unimpressive, and furthermore you are wimps. It must be very humiliating to watch as other gangs laugh at you and make a mockery of your talents, or lack thereof."

"Who do you think you are?" Kyle asked heatedly.

"Who cares? Just kill him!" Razor ordered his thugs.

The Taser Blades then went to attack the stranger, but the little interloper jumped straight up in the air before they could tackle him. He then pulled two large ray guns out of his coat and started firing at the gang bangers. The boys spread out, but two were shot by the lasers and dropped to the ground in a charred crisp. The others hid behind boxes and watched as the stranger landed gracefully on his feet and blew into the guns' nozzles to cool them down. The entire scene lasted only a few tense seconds.

"So, are you tired of embarrassing instances like this happening to you?" The stranger asked pointedly.

"Y-Yeah," Razor replied shakily, "Are you, uh, here to sell us those guns?"

"No, I am here on a far more important mission. My mission is not one of mere weapons dealings, but is of a much grander nature. For you see, I am in search of minions, pawns, goons, and henchmen that will be loyal to me, and only me. I believe you could be those henchmen, ready to help me in my quest for total domination of not only this city, but also the world!"

"Who are you?" Razor asked nervously.

"Mwahahahaha!" The malevolent figure laughed, and then lifted back the collar of his coat to reveal a very familiar figure in Townsville, "You really have to ask, young upstart? I am the most evil creature in all of Townsville. No one is more evil than I am, and no one is more poised for eventual villainous success. For you see, I am the one, the only, Mojo Jojo!"

"Yeah, we can see that," Razor replied, his fear being replaced with annoyance, "What did you want again?"

"No, no! Don't ask him!" One of his teammates wheedled, "Now he'll never shut up."

"I am glad you asked," Mojo Jojo replied with a sinister grin, and everyone else groaned, "I am searching for henchmen that can assist me in my greatest plan ever to destroy the Powerpuff Girls. For once the Powerpuff Girls are destroyed and defeated once and for all I will be in a position to take over Townsville, and once I have taken over the greater Townsville area I will be able to move on to take over the world! Once the world is mine I of course will not forget the little people that helped me to obtain my new position of power. You will each be given your own territory to do with as you please, but only if you agree to help me with my plans and obey my every command. Failure to comply will result in a missed opportunity for you, not to mention intense pain for you as well. So, what do you say, young scoundrels? Will you help me achieve my dream?"

The Taser Blades looked at each other as if to ask permission to accept, and then finally Razor nodded to his cohorts and stepped forward. He held out his hand to Mojo Jojo, who shook it in silent agreement of their new villainous alliance.

* * *

Ace and Snake rode the bus back to Townsville, with Snake falling asleep almost as soon as they sat down due to staying up all night in the ER. Ace had time to think as he rode next to his slumbering former attacker, but all he could think was that he was nervous. What if the gang didn't take him back? Did he even _want_ to go back? Did he have any other options? Why was he helping Snake? Didn't Snake hate him?

When the bus stopped at the Townsville depot Ace tried to nudge Snake awake, but the lanky green man didn't stir. Ace sighed, realizing that he either had to carry Snake or leave him there. Choosing the hard way, Ace picked up Snake and felt his sides and chest constrict with the pressure. He felt like he was going to damage something, but he still carried Snake off the bus and over to a nearby bench. Ace had to catch his breath for a moment, and then try to figure out how he was going to get home with this dead weight.

Across the street from the bus station was a dollar store, and when Ace saw those yellow shopping carts he got an idea. He swiped a cart and wheeled it back to the bench, and then placed Snake inside for the journey back to the condemned boarding house.

The walk back to Mrs. Picklesworth's old place was a lot easier now that Ace was more familiar with where he was going, but it did nothing to ease the gangster's nerves. Looking down at Snake, he remembered when his mom used to let him ride in the shopping carts at the store, and he smiled at one of the few fond memories he had of home. He didn't get to go to the store with his mom very often, and back then Malph's felt like the greatest place on earth. It was wall-to-wall food, candy, and sodas. He never wanted to leave.

Ace made it back to the condemned house with Snake in tow, and he knew he couldn't get the shopping cart up the steps, so he grabbed Snake in a bridal carry and walked through the broken door.

When he got inside he saw three green men, all ugly as sin and none of them noticing he was there, as they were too busy looking at an unfurled map of Townsville. Ace didn't demand their attention right away. He wasn't really sure what to say to them if they did notice him.

"Did you check downtown?" Arturo asked.

"Pfft," Grubber nodded.

"Okay. Billy, did you check here?" Arturo inquired as he pointed to the map.

"Uh, what's there?" Billy asked obliviously.

"Tch, it's the subway, dude," Arturo replied impatiently, "Did you check?"

"Uh, yeah. He wasn't there," Billy replied.

"You guys lose somethin'?" Ace suddenly asked from where he stood in the doorway.

All three looked up at Ace in shock, and then were shaken even more by what they saw him carrying; Snake's inert body.

"Dios mio! He killed Snake!" Arturo exclaimed frantically.

"Yeah right, he's just asleep ya dope!" Ace snapped, "You gonna point me to where I can put him down or not?"

"Uh, Billy will take him," Big Billy offered.

"Fine, just hurry up! My arms are tired," Ace ordered curtly.

Big Billy gently lifted Snake up into his arms and then walked down the hallway with him; likely taking Snake back to his room. Ace was still uneasy around that big guy, but he figured prison rules applied here. If he proved he was the toughest they would have to respect and obey him. Just like his old man taught him.

"Ace, where the heck have you been?" Arturo demanded to know, "We've been looking everywhere for you! We thought you were dead or something!"

"Where I went is none of yer business," Ace snapped in return, "Now, I gotta level with yous here, my memory is shot right now, literally. I don't remember any of yous, but Snake says I'm yer leader. That true?"

"Si," Arturo nodded, "You don't remember anything?"

"I remember livin' in this dump when I was 13, and I remember the events that led up to that point, but I don't remember the gang," Ace explained, "So, I'm gonna do my best to be a good leader, but I'm gonna need you guys to help me do dat. First, let's get reacquainted. What are yer names?"

"I am Poco Arturo De La Guerra," Arturo introduced himself, "Poco because mi Papi was Macho Arturo De La Guerra."

"I will never remember that," Ace flatly replied, "So what do I call ya instead?"

"Lil' Arturo," Arturo replied without offense.

"Okay then, and you?" Ace asked as he pointed to Grubber.

"Pfft pft pbbft!" Grubber introduced himself.

"Whoa, hey! How'd you do that?" Ace asked in astonishment.

"Pfft?" Gruber asked.

"That! I understood you!" Ace exclaimed; a little freaked out, "Who the heck is able to talk like that?"

"Pft," Grubber replied as he pointed to himself.

"Yeah, uh, sorry. It's just so weird," Ace told him, "So, what was yer full name again?"

"Pfft pft pbbft," Grubber repeated it slowly.

"Gribberish?" Ace asked for clarification, "Uh, so what's the J stand for?"

"Pftft," Grubber explained.

"Joseph huh? Yeah, yeah, dat's cool," Ace nodded, a little stunned, "And the other guy is named Billy?"

"Si, that's Big Billy," Arturo replied, "His full name is William Williams, though we think it's a fake name. We don't know if the orphanage named him that or if he named himself that. I'd believe either one."

"Yeah, sounds about right," Ace snorted, "Listen, uh, can one of yous show me to my room? I'm pretty beat."

"Sure thing, Ace," Arturo replied, "Glad to have you back. Oh, and, about Snake? Is he uh...how do I put this? Are we taking him back or punishing him?"

"Who said bein' back wasn't a punishment?" Ace joked, "Seriously though, I told him he could come back. I know what he did, and I know why. Gangs are stronger with numbers though, so he ain't gettin' out that easy."

Arturo was relieved to hear that, since it meant they wouldn't be forced to hurt Snake or watch him be hurt...at least for now. Arturo was about to lead Ace to his room, but then Grubber called for their attention.

"What is it, Grubber?" Ace asked.

Grubber then lifted up his tongue and pulled out a pair of shades; Ace's special pair. Ace wiped off the drool and then looked down at them. He was worried he wouldn't get them back after he left them behind.

"Thanks, Grubber," Ace said coolly as he put the sunglasses back on, not even worrying about where they had been.

Arturo took Ace to his bedroom, and Ace could see there was still dried blood on the floor. In fact, everything about the scene looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry. The bed was unmade, there was stuff knocked off the dresser, and there was a rug that had been kicked to the corner of the room. Ace sat down on the bed and told Arturo he wanted to be left alone until further notice. Arturo obliged, and Ace was once again left alone with his thoughts.

" _Gribberish_?" Ace whispered the name to himself as he took off his sunglasses and looked at them.

He could still see his reflection in his shades. That reflection was so different from what it had been the first time. The frightened little boy was gone, and in his place was a broken man that had aged before his time. The fear was still inside him, but it didn't show anymore. He used these shades to hide from the world, to make himself feel invincible, and to make himself look cool. Before his shades did that for him though, they did that for someone else.

There was no other explanation. The age if accounted for time was correct, and there was no one with the surname Gribberish native to America as far as Ace knew. It had to be him. That misshapen grinning gargoyle had to be Joseph Gribberish's son. His middle name was even Joseph! Ace felt sick. Not only had Joseph Gribberish dying meant nothing for Ace's future prospects, but it had ruined his son's life too.

Ace couldn't help but wonder if he knew about this before he lost his memory. Did Grubber confide in him? Were they even friends? They were in the same gang, but did that mean anything? What about Arturo? He was so small. What did Ace make him do to let him join the gang? When Ace's dad recruited new members for the Plague Rats he made them kill a random citizen first to prove their loyalty. Did Ace do that to these people? Had they killed for him? Had he killed for a previous leader? Did Grubber know how much Ace had ruined his life?

Ace locked the door to his bedroom and found the radio. He turned it to a hip hop station and cranked the volume to max. With the aggressive blaring music pumping in his ears he finally broke down and cried into his pillow and hoped that no one else knew that was what was happening.

* * *

It was the second day of tutoring for the Rowdyruff Boys under the mindful care of Professor Utonium. The day before had mostly been reciting the ABCs, learning how to count to 10, and playing baseball out in the yard. Today the professor wanted to review the boys' performance to see if they retained what they learned.

"Okay, first we'll go over some questions about the alphabet," Professor said to them, "The first multiple choice question is this: What is the first letter of the alphabet? Is it A: C, B: D, C: A, or D: B?"

The boys just stared blankly at the professor for a few seconds, but then Butch finally broke the awkward silence when he flatly said, "You hate us, don't you?"

"It's an easy question," The professor defended himself.

"Is it A?" Boomer asked.

"No," The professor replied.

"So the first letter of the alphabet is C?" Butch asked.

"Correct, Butch," The professor smiled.

"So the song is C, A, B, D?" Butch asked in confusion, "I think I learned it wrong."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's A, C, D, C, no wait, that can't be it," Boomer felt a headache coming on from trying to think this through.

"Okay, maybe we can come back to that one," The professor simpered, "Let's go over your numbers, shall we?"

"No multiple choice questions!" Butch ordered curtly.

"Eh heh heh, right," The professor laughed sheepishly, "So, who wants to count to 10?"

"Nobody!" Butch hollered.

"I'll do it!" Boomer exclaimed as he raised his hand as high as it would go, "I can do it! Pick me!"

"Hm, let me see..." The professor looked over both of them, mostly to tease Boomer, "How about...Boomer?"

"Yes!" Boomer pumped his fist in the air, and Butch just rolled his eyes at him, "Okay, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10."

"You forgot 6, dummy!" Butch taunted his brother, "Now you have to wear the dunce hat!"

"What?!" Boomer shouted indignantly.

"Now, now, there's no dunce hat," The professor assured Boomer, "Do you know where 6 goes, Boomer?"

"Um...This isn't fair! I don't have any fingers to count on!" Boomer whined.

"Can we have a snack break now? I'm hungry!" Butch complained.

The professor sighed longsufferingly but agreed to let the boys have a snack. The rest of the school day was mostly spent trying to keep the boys from flying away and trying to teach them basic concepts. The professor was patient with them, but even he wasn't sure he could actually help them learn anything. Ms. Keane made it look so easy...

* * *

Later that day the girls got home from school to find that the house was a mess and that the boys were watching TV while the professor had fallen asleep in his armchair. They were watching some action cartoon that Buttercup had sworn she'd outgrown years ago, but when she saw them watching it she immediately sat down next to them to watch.

Blossom floated up to her room to get away from it all. It had been yet another busy day at school, and she had to take an algebra test after school with her sisters because they had flown off to save Townsville from one of Him's evil plots to poison the drinking water. Overall it had been an exhausting day, and Blossom needed to unwind. She now understood why Bubbles was always on her phone.

She logged into the poetry website, but Grubber hadn't posted any new poems. Blossom still didn't feel confident enough to write anything of her own, but part of her wondered if she should try. So much had been going on in her life, and she wished she had the ability to express it the way Grubber did. She opened a direct message box, hoping that he would be available to talk.

He wasn't there at first, so Blossom looked through other people's poems. She found a couple that were okay, and then she started perusing a used book site to see if she could find some fun textbooks to read. Twenty minutes after she first logged on she got a message from WildThing-HeartStrings and smiled.

EverythingNice98: Hey, Grubber. How've you been today?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello, Blossom. I'm at the library right now using their computer. I must say, it's been a weird day for us. Ace and Snake returned to us, and Ace has been having some...cognitive issues.

EverythingNice98: You mean he's become mentally impaired?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Not exactly. He can't remember anything past age 13. That's the only thing he says is wrong, but since he returned home I've noticed some behavioral changes. For one thing, he acts a bit more... _empathetic_ is the only word that comes to mind. He seems less hostile and less confident. Honestly it's kind of spooky.

EverythingNice98: Wow, that is weird O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: I hope there's no bleeding in his brain or anything. We're all worried, and frankly Snake isn't doing much to make us feel any better about the situation. He seems rather melancholy since he came back, and he's gone out of his way to avoid Ace. I suppose he's afraid our leader will regain his memories and beat the tar out of him. I can't say I blame him.

EverythingNice98: I thought Snake wanted out of the gang. Why did he come back?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Because Ace told him to. It's hard to explain, but Ace has a way with people, especially us. He could convince a nudist to purchase a top hat if he so desired. I always believed Ace would make a fine salesman. That is also my theory for why Snake has stayed with us for so long. If I'm honest, Ace is rather abusive toward him. I mean more so than with the rest of us. I don't know why, but he always seemed to delight in bullying and controlling Snake."

EverythingNice98: That sounds pretty messed up. Why would you guys work with Ace if he's such a jerk?

WildThing-HeartStrings: That's like asking why you work with Buttercup when she undermines you so often. All we have is each other. I've mentioned this before.

EverythingNice98: I know, I just worry about you is all. I don't want you to get hurt just because you're in the Gangreen Gang.

WildThing-HeartStrings: That's a beautiful thing to say, Blossom. It is wasted on me however. I made my choice long ago and I must live with it. To be honest, if I and the rest of the gang died, you would probably be the only one who remembered I was ever born.

EverythingNice98: Don't talk like that Grubber! There's still plenty of time for you to make a positive change in the world. You're only in your 20s, so you have plenty of time.

WildThing-HeartStrings: I have to go now. The library is closing. Thank you for contacting me, and I hope things go well for you this week. I'll keep you updated on Ace. Farewell, Blossom :P

EverythingNice98: Bye Grubber.

Blossom logged off, but instead of her time online making her feel better she instead felt worse. Grubber hadn't been his cheerful self lately. She couldn't blame him for it. He had been dealing with a lot of heavy stuff lately. It still made her feel bad for him though. How could she help him if she couldn't even understand the problem? Her family was pretty stable, so she didn't feel qualified to give advice on Grubber's dysfunctional 'family'. All she could do was listen to him and hope that was enough.

* * *

Late that night the professor was fast asleep when suddenly he was awakened by an ear-shattering scream! He bolted out of bed and on instinct went to check the girls' room, only to see they were fine. He then heard Butch talking to Boomer and realized the scream must have come from the boys' room.

The professor entered the dark room and turned on the light, only to see something he had yet to see before from the duo. Butch had his hand on Boomer's back and actually seemed to be trying to comfort him. Boomer was crying, and even though he didn't yet know what was wrong the professor's heart went out to them.

"Boomer, Butch, what's wrong?" The professor asked in concern.

"Nothing," Butch lied, "Go back to sleep."

Boomer was breathing in and out deeply, and along with tears there was also sweat pouring down his body. The professor figured out from this evidence what was going on.

"Bad dream, Boomer?" Professor asked gently.

"It was Brick," Boomer lamented.

"Oh," The professor replied, understanding immediately.

Boomer then looked up at the professor, and his face conveyed such loss and misery without saying a word. It was easy to forget in that moment how powerful and chaotic this Rowdyruff Boy could be. In that moment he was just a scared little boy.

"You can tell me all about it if you want to," Professor told him as he sat on the edge of the bed, "But you don't have to if you don't feel like it. Whatever you want is okay with me."

"I dreamt that..." Boomer took a deep breath before he continued, "I dreamt that I couldn't fly. That I couldn't use my powers, and everything was black and white except for me and my bros. Brick and Butch were on the other side of a huge crack in the ground, and I couldn't reach them. Brick kept shouting 'Just jump!', so I did. I jumped, and I was carried over there by an army of flying monkeys like in the Wizard of Oz, and then I was a giant and I picked up my brothers, but then Brick melted. As he melted he screamed 'You suck, Dorothy!'."

"We didn't even watch Wizard of Oz tonight," Butch noted, "Is Boomer's brain broken?"

"No, Butch," The professor chuckled goodnaturedly, "Boomer's nightmare is perfectly normal. Everyone has bad dreams sometimes. The good news is they can't hurt you in real life. If you go back to sleep the nightmare won't come back, promise."

"I miss Brick," Boomer said sorrowfully, "I know that seems weird since he wasn't very nice to me, but he was my brother just like Butch is. He was a...a part of me. I want him back, but I know he's gone forever. Professor, will we ever see him again?"

"Honestly? I don't know," The professor replied solemnly, "I'm sorry to say that I don't have all the answers. The nature of Chemical X is unknown, just like the nature of humanity is still largely unknown. What I can tell you is that even though you boys are at an age where it's difficult to say so, I'm sure that Brick loved you and would want you boys to be happy."

Boomer hung his head, and Butch unchariteristically didn't rub salt in the wound. The professor just sat there with the boys until they felt ready to fall asleep again. It reminded the professor so much of when the girls were younger. He knew he had a lot of work ahead of him if he was going to help these boys overcome the trauma dealt to them by the loss of their brother. He was up to the task though. The professor knew he just had to be patient and supportive until their scarred hearts managed to heal.


	19. Bad Connections

_Author's Notes: Not much to say here, except this is another long chapter that mostly focuses on the Gangreen Gang with Powerpuff stuff sprinkled in. I think I like the last half of the chapter better than the first, but it's all necessary for the chapter's plot to make sense. Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll leave a review :)_

* * *

Chapter 19

Bad Connections

Most of the gang was still asleep. It was already noon, but it was normal for the gang to stay up all hours of the night and wake up whenever they felt like it. Snake was alone in the stillness of the house and looking out the window at the busy street outside. If he listened carefully, he could hear Big Billy snoring in the basement or hear the slight shuffle of Lil Arturo tossing and turning in his makeshift bed that was actually little more than a dog basket with a blanket. Thinking about that, Snake was grateful to have his mattress with the pokey springs. He and Ace were the only ones that had real beds. Arturo slept in a dog bed, Billy slept on clothes, and Grubber slept on the hardwood.

Snake had already been by Malph's Market early that morning. He had just gone to swipe some food and hope it was too early for the staff to care he was shoplifting, but while he was there he had seen Andrea, the young woman that had set so many recent events in motion.

While Snake had initially been attracted to Andrea and wanted to date her, he had forgotten all about her when he ran away from Townsville and the consequences of shooting Ace. He had told her goodbye and assumed he would never see her again. Seeing her at her post after supposedly skipping town had been met with mixed emotions on both sides.

"Snake?" Andrea had sounded so surprised to see him, "You're alright! What are you doing back in Townsville? Did you hear about Ace?"

"Yess, I know all about thats," Snake replied sullenly, "I rejoined the gang. Accce hass agreed to not be so rough with usss from now on."

"You don't sound too happy about it," Andrea observed, "It sounds like you don't really want to be there."

"I don't know what I wants," Snake admitted, "I've ssspent half my life in that gang. What elssse iss there for me? Accce might not be a great friend, but he isssn't an enemy. That'sss the besst I can hope for given hisss reputation...and mine."

"I missed you," Andrea told him as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Even if you're still in a street gang, I'm glad you're back in Townsville. I know this is going to sound forward, but do you, maybe...wanna grab a bite to eat sometime?"

"I'd grab it now if you wasssn't watching," Snake joked.

Andrea laughed and then said, "You know what I mean. Do you wanna go on a date with me sometime?"

Snake of course had said yes and agreed to Friday evening at Jester Burger. He felt a little guilty for forgetting about her in the first place, but to be fair his priorities at that time had been mostly on survival. Even now he worried Ace might try to murder him while he slept, but that was no reason to turn down fast food and a good looking woman's company. Now as he sat by the window looking out at the passing cars, he wondered if it would be a mistake to show up.

Snake, like the rest of the gang, was used to the night scene. Ace and Arturo were the two most popular men with the ladies in their group, but Snake would occasionally manage to find a woman to hook up with. It was usually less attractive women with lower standards or a fascination with his reptilian features. They were also usually loose, and sometimes had even been with Ace first. That fact did very little for Snake's dignity and self-esteem.

Andrea, however, felt different, and Snake wasn't so sure it was a good kind of different. She wasn't hot, but she was cute. Her heart was tender, but her mouth had a mind of its own and frequently got her into trouble. Snake's problem with Andrea wasn't so much her personality or looks as it was her status. Simply put, Andrea was an honest citizen. She worked her butt off at a dead end job and thought the police and Powerpuff Girls were forces for good. She made Snake feel like he could be a better man in the moment, but once they parted he just felt worse about the person he actually was.

Snake sighed when he heard the floorboards in Ace's room creak. Their leader was awake, and soon Snake would have to conveniently figure out a task to perform to keep from having to talk to Ace. He was afraid to spend too much time in Ace's presence anymore. If he accidentally triggered a memory by talking to Ace, then Ace might remember he wanted Snake dead. In that moment Snake wondered why he agreed to return to this perpetual game of Russian roulette at all.

Ace yawned loudly as he shambled into the main room where Snake was sitting, and then slowly turned his head to regard his fellow green gangster.

"Yo Snake, we got anythin' to eat around here?" Ace asked groggily.

"No. I went to get sssomething, but I got disstracted," Snake reluctantly told him.

Ace noticed the way Snake tensed up after that statement, and he wondered what that meant.

"What distracted ya?" Ace asked, wondering if it was a plot against him.

"Oh, well um...You sssee..." Snake stammered, "There'ss thisss girl at Malph'ss."

"You got a girlfriend?" Ace asked.

"Kind of," Snake replied nervously, "She'sss out of my league, but she ssseems to like me. Her name iss Andrea."

"Oh. Okay, cool," Ace replied with forced casualness, "Um, Snake? Have you been avoidin' me? It feels like you don't wanna be around me. I thought we was gonna start over and try to be nicer to each other. What gives?"

"You don't like me," Snake told him point blank, "If you gets your memory back, then you'll remember how much you hates me. I don't wanna be there when that happenss."

"Oh," Ace replied, a little disappointed, "But I don't hate you right now. Maybe when I get my memory back I'll remember how nice you were to me when I needed ya. Maybe this ain't doomed to failure. I mean, we're a gang. Gangs stick together through everything. My old man's gang put up with him beatin' 'em, harrassin' their families, sleepin' with their girls, and more. To be fair, they did the same thing to him. Did I ever tell ya about the time I caught my ma in bed with three different guys, none of 'em my dad?"

"Yeah, you sssaid you assked Bruno for money to go get cheesseburgerss," Snake snickered.

"Yeah, I did," Ace laughed along with him, "I figured embarrassment would make him weak and willin' to give me what I wanted."

"You've alwayss been good at manipulating peoples," Snake commented, the smile still on his face, "I wish I wasss. I could never talk my dad out of hurting me."

"Yeah, my old man was immune to my charms too," Ace replied contemptuously, "I guess dads are like that. I once threatened to kill my dad with a pair of scissors when I was 6. He laughed at me. He didn't hit me, he didn't yell, he _laughed_ at me. I gotta be honest, that was worse than gettin' hit. It was his way of sayin' I was nobody to him, and he knew I wouldn't really do it."

"You should've. That would've shown him," Snake commiserated.

"Nah. I couldn't," Ace shook his head sorrowfully, "He was right. I couldn't do it. Not then. He just seemed so tall and powerful, like nothin' could hurt him. The last time I saw him he was gettin' shot at, and he still survived. You know there's still this stupid little piece of me that still wonders if he's alive."

"Mine issn't," Snake said offhandedly, "Part of me isss upsset, but not much. He wass a monssster, in every sssense of the word. My mother isss sso put together. I ssstill don't know why she would marry a man that wasss half monsster."

"Eh, chicks dig bad boys," Ace shrugged, "And the nicer the girl the more she wants to rebel. I may not remember a lot of my life, but my first time is still locked away in there."

"Don't tell me," Snake replied flatly, "Wasss it a teacher or a sssocial worker?"

"Nah, the first time I got _turned down_ was a social worker," Ace corrected, a big grin on his face, "No, my first time was with a girl from my group home. Anastasia. We was both 12 years old, and she was cryin' tellin' anyone who would listen that some snotty girls in school called her ugly. I really liked her, and I figured she wasn't feelin' too picky at the moment, so I smooched her. She asked if I thought she was beautiful or if I was just bein' nice, and I said 'When am I ever nice?'. Well that was all it took. She was mine for the takin', though admittedly neither of us was very good at it. I mean, we was both virgins after all."

"I remember thisss sstory now," Snake interjected, "You dumped her for sssome new girl named Merlot. The old bat you lived with caught you two doing it in the hall clossset, and you ran away when she grounded you. I'm guesssing you went limp pretty fassst."

Snake started snickering after that statement, and Ace scowled at being the butt of the joke.

"Knock it off!" Ace warned, but Snake just kept laughing.

Ace was getting sick of Snake laughing at him, so he socked him upside the head! Snake backed away and rubbed the sore spot on his nose, and Ace just ignored the look Snake was giving him.

"Ssso, nothing'ss changed," Snake spat bitterly.

"Hey, you started it!" Ace snapped as he pointed his finger at Snake, "Also, I said I would try to be better, but I didn't say I'd let you walk all over me. I'll let you stay in the gang and I'll try not to hit you again, but push me too far and I'll cut you."

"Oh, like you _cut_ your dad?" Snake sneered.

Ace growled loudly and balled his fists, and Snake realized that he might've pushed Ace too far.

Snake ran toward his room, but Ace tackled him and wrestled him to the ground. Snake tried to get Ace off of him, but Ace started pounding Snake's face with his fists! Arturo heard the commotion and ran out of his room in time to see Ace wholloping the daylights out of Snake, and Arturo pulled on Ace's arm to get their boss to stop assaulting their comrade.

"Get offa him, ese!" Arturo shouted.

Ace snorted, his pent-up energy not quite spent yet, but he did as he was told and got off Snake. Snake sat up and touched his face. Sure enough, there was blood coming from his nose and one of his front teeth was loose. His eyes were also sore to the touch.

"Okay, now that you two aren't killing each other, what the heck is going on?" Arturo demanded to know.

"He started it!" Ace replied petulantly as he pointed his finger at Snake.

Snake coughed a couple times, but managed to say "He hit me firssst..."

"He was makin' fun of me!" Ace replied heatedly, "He was callin' me weak and makin' fun of my history with girls!"

"Oh, brother," Arturo sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Okay guys, let's take it down a bit."

" _Snake hates me_!" Ace yelled and stomped his foot, clearly still in tantrum mode, "All I did was try to be nice to him! I let him back in the gang after he _shot me_ , and dis is the thanks I get!? You are a stupid, ungrateful, ugly-!"

" _Ace_!" Arturo shouted more forcefully, "Stop it, man! Just stop it! I know you're hurting man, but let's hear Snake's side of the story for a second. Okay?"

Ace growled at Arturo but didn't make a move against him. Snake took that as permission to speak.

"He promisssed he wouldn't hit me anymore, but he ssstill did," Snake told Arturo, "He'sss the sssame Ace-hole he alwayss wasss."

"Believe it or not, yer not the first one to make that joke," Ace replied with an ironic smile, "My old housemate Nathan used to call me dat all the time."

"Well it'ss true," Snake spat as he glared at Ace, "You could've jussst sssaid I wass crosssing a line. You didn't have to hit me."

"I told ya to stop, but ya didn't," Ace pointed out accusingly, "Maybe if you'd bother to listen to me I wouldn't have to hit you."

"Ace, maybe don't blame Snake for getting hit, but ask yourself why that was your first instinct," Arturo suggested.

"Because he's a freakin' jerk!" Ace yelled in frustration, "It ain't dat complicated. You insult me, you pay. Period. If we've really been friends for 12 years, then why are you still so dense? Why don't you know not to diss me? Huh? If you losers are gonna blame me for gettin' shot, then I'm gonna blame you for makin' me hit you. Trust me, there are worse things I can do to you that I don't. I don't see any cigarette burns on yous. In fact, I notice you can still wear sleeveless shirts, Snake. You think I could pull dat off? You think I've got good lookin' skin left there? Huh? Answer me when I ask you a question!"

Snake ducked his head and didn't make eye contact with Ace. He had seen Ace angry before, and when he went into ranting mode it usually meant he was going to do some serious damage. This had been how Ace acted when Billy was arrested; on the night when Snake shot him.

Arturo, however, noticed something else about Ace's impromptu tirade.

"What do you mean, you can't show your arms?" Arturo asked Ace, "Do you cut, ese?"

"No, I don't cut!" Ace snapped irritably, "Of course I didn't have to. If I wanted to bleed out a little all I had to do was catch my old man at the right moment. Oh, I got a scar for everythin'. Burns, cuts, bones that healed wrong, popped blood vessels in my eyes that just didn't wanna heal, you name it. All I do to you is hit. Bruises heal. Yer nose is gonna heal, Snake. Yer pride will too. Just stop messin' with me, and I won't have to hit you no more. Can ya do dat, Snake?"

"Bruisssess heal," Snake hissed out slowly, "Yeah, that'ss how my dad got away with it for ssso long. Never cutsss, only bruissess."

Snake's defeated statement made Ace pause. He knew that Snake's dad abused him too. He knew how he felt when he was little and his dad would hurt him for seemingly no reason. He justified how he treated Snake because he felt he had a reason, but did he? Didn't friends joke around with each other? How would he know? Ace never had one of those cute innocent friendships like on TV. He had treated kids in the group home this way too. He made himself tough, and he made himself mean, all in the name of never being the victim in a relationship again.

"Snake...I'm sorry," Ace said softly, and Snake looked up at him in bewilderment, "Yer right. I shouldn't hit you. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to stop. I shouldn't make promises I can't keep. You probably deserve better than this. I dunno. I don't remember enough about you to know, but I shoulda still given you the benefit of the doubt. If dis gang ain't big enough for the both of us, then I'll leave."

"What?" Snake asked in shock, "No, Accce, you can't do thats!"

"Why not? All I do is hurt people," Ace replied matter-of-factly, "You should stay. You need a gang. Yer weak, and you'll just get hurt out there on yer own. I'm okay. I don't need anybody lookin' out for me."

"Ace, don't go!" Arturo shouted as Ace walked toward the door, "We looked everywhere for you, man! You can't just abandon us again!"

Ace turned and looked at Arturo, his shades hanging from the bottom of his nose, and his eyes just looked so miserable and lost.

"Why do yous want me here?" Ace asked in utter confusion, "I'm a bad person. I'm a user, an abuser, and a loser. Hey, dat rhymed."

Arturo rolled his eyes, and Snake got off the ground and walked unsteadily toward Ace. Ace ran up to Snake to steady him, and then guided him over to the window sill seat to rest.

"I really am sorry," Ace said again, "Is there anythin' I can do to make it up to ya? Can I get you an ice pack or somethin'?"

"We don't has a working fridge," Snake replied wryly.

"I'll go to Malph's," Ace offered, "I'll get whatever ya need. Just...just forget this happened, okay?"

"Fine," Snake sighed as he leaned back, "Maybe Andrea will help you outs."

Ace nodded quickly as Snake closed his eyes and just focused on breathing. Arturo wetted a rag with some leftover gin, and Ace left the hideout to get some ice from Malph's. Arturo worried about what this most recent fight would mean for the gang. He was used to Ace's tantrums, and he was used to Snake's self loathing, but after losing both of them once he feared that the gang would fracture again. Arturo was more keenly aware than most that the Gangreen Gang losing members wasn't just bad for them as friends, but also as a street gang in general. They were getting older, and there were too many other gangs ready to kill them and take their place.

* * *

By the time Grubber woke up Arturo was in the living room reading a romance novel hidden behind a swimsuit magazine (as if nobody would notice), Snake was beaten up and laying on the window sill, and Billy was still asleep in the basement. Ace was nowhere to be found, and Grubber suspected he was the reason Snake was currently nursing a wet rag to his bloodied nose.

Grubber left the house without saying goodbye, and the others didn't seem to notice. That was good, because he didn't want anyone interfering with what he was going to do.

Grubber walked half a mile to the superstore in the heart of the business district. The boys normally didn't shop there because Malph's Market was closer to them, but they did rob it once. That was the first night Ace ever held anyone hostage with his gun. Not one of Grubber's favorite memories, but not one of the worst either.

He made it inside the store and took an envelope out from under his tongue. He opened it and counted the stack of bills again. It was money he had secretly been saving up for months, and now he was finally ready to spend it.

As Grubber made his way through the store customers who saw him gave him plenty of space. One woman was so desperate to avoid him she hid behind a freezer door in the frozen foods section, which Grubber found hilarious. On any other day he would go around and scare customers on purpose, but he was on a mission. Well...maybe just one customer. Grubber found a little boy and pushed the kid into his stinky armpit for a second, which caused the kid to cry to his mommy. Grubber blew a raspberry laugh and then went on his way to the electronics department.

When Grubber got to the electronics department he found a bored employee rocking out to whatever song was playing in his earbuds. Grubber stood beside him for a moment in hopes of getting the guy's attention, but that tactic wasn't working. Deciding for a more direct approach, Grubber tugged on the employee's vest, and then the guy finally looked down to see the smiling grimace of the green gangster.

"AH!" The employee yelped in fear, "Hey dude, if this is a robbery just take the stuff, okay? I don't care, I just work here!"

Grubber's smile never faded as he handed the guy a piece of paper. If anything this moron made Grubber smile even more. The worker unfolded the piece of paper, which read: _I would like to purchase a new smartphone. I will also need to be able to pirate WiFi._

"Oh, sure thing, green dude," The employee shrugged, relaxed now that he knew he wasn't going to get stabbed or something, "You'll want a portable router if you don't wanna pay for WiFi. You'll also want to download a hotspot app once you unlock the phone."

Grubber listened carefully as they walked to the phone case. This was going very smoothly, all things considered. After the computer had been broken Grubber had been going to wherever he could to connect to the internet, but now he wanted to just be able to relax at home and write his poetry. This would also make talking to Blossom easier. There were so many busybodies in the library these days.

It only took a few minutes for Grubber to buy a phone and then be on his way. He even had a few dollars left, so he also bought some candy in the checkout lane (and pocketed even more candy, because no one suspects someone already buying stuff). Overall it had been a pleasant getaway from the drama with Snake and Ace. He only hoped those two could figure things out before the rest of the gang paid for their inability to compromise.

* * *

Ace held a big bag of ice as he walked away from the convenience store. He had asked for Andrea like Snake said, and to his chagrin it was that blasted checker from the last time he came in. She was still vaguely hostile toward him, but when he said he needed ice because Snake was hurt she let him have a bag on her. Ace could tell that chick was into Snake, and was surprised to realize he was actually happy for his frenemy to have someone special. Ace was typically the type to get jealous when someone had more than him, so this was a new feeling.

Meanwhile, up in the sky, the Powerpuff Girls were making their rounds through Townsville. Normally they would keep close to the hotline and wait for the mayor to call instead, but the boys needed superhero training so the girls taught them how to patrol. Well...Blossom and Bubbles taught them how to patrol. Buttercup didn't have the patience for that so she searched around Townsville for a crime she could stop by herself.

As Buttercup flew over Malph's Market she saw Ace walking away holding a bag of ice. The last time Buttercup had heard anything about the Gangreen Gang had been three days ago, and at that point Ace had still been missing. She scowled. She knew this had to be some sort of trick. Ace didn't look like some lost little hospital patient. He was fine, and chances were Grubber was just pretending Ace was missing so Blossom would let her guard down. Well, Ace wasn't going to get away with that. Not on her watch.

Ace continued to walk obliviously until he heard what sounded some sort of futuristic buzzing noise. He looked around, and then saw a green streak of light heading right for him! He ducked in case it hit him, but then when nothing happened he looked again, and there was a tiny freakish looking bug-eyed girl floating in the air and glaring at him.

"Whoa," Was all Ace could say at first, "Dat is so cool!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but flattery won't save you this time, punk!" Buttercup snapped at Ace; her arms crossed over her chest, "I know you and your stupid gang are trying to brainwash Blossom so she'll help you with your evil plans or whatever. Well, it won't work!"

"Blossom? Who's Blossom?" It only just occurred to Ace that he might know the green-eyed girl as well, but he figured it was best to not address it lest he accidentally insult her.

"Don't play dumb!" Buttercup shouted, "I know you've been feeding Blossom sob stories so she'll feel sorry for you. I know your tricks. You did the same thing with me, remember?"

"Uh..." Ace wasn't sure whether or not to be honest about that.

Before Ace could gather his thoughts Buttercup grabbed him by the collar and flew high up in the air with him, causing him to drop his bag of ice and start screaming in panic.

"AAAHH! What's happening?" Ace asked frantically.

Buttercup stopped once they were high above Townsville, and Ace became aware that his life hung by his shirt and at the whim of a strange pixie child. Whatever he did to her must've been pretty bad, and whoever this Blossom was it must've been something serious. Maybe she was his girlfriend, or worse...his ex.

"Let's get something straight, Ace," Buttercup hissed, her voice dripping with venomous anger, "I won't let you or your stupid friends hurt my sister."

 _Oh, so this Blossom chick must be her sister..._ Ace thought to himself. _Oh man, I hope whatever I did wasn't permanent._

"I'm only going to say this once," Buttercup continued, "Stay away from Blossom. I don't want Grubber emailing her anymore, and I don't want you guys trying to get close to her. Delete her information from your contacts, and _leave us alone_!"

"Grubber?" Ace couldn't help but ask, "Wait, did he do this?"

Buttercup then dropped Ace, and he screamed as he started falling to his doom. He could see the road getting closer and closer and knew he was going to be splattered all over the pavement. His life flashed before his eyes, and he was reminded once again of how much it sucked. At the last moment however the pixie girl grabbed him by the leg and kept him from crashing to the ground. He was shaking as she set him down next to his bag of ice, and he looked up at her through his shades (which somehow managed to stay on). He was grateful she couldn't see the look of fear he gave her, but he had a feeling she knew.

"So, do we understand each other?" Buttercup asked the question that Ace had both heard and asked his entire life.

"Yeah, I got you," Ace nodded as he dusted himself off and picked up his ice, "No Blossom. Got it."

"Hey!" Buttercup suddenly shouted, and Ace froze and gulped, "Did you steal that ice?"

"No, it's paid for," Ace replied, and even dared to look offended, "I ain't done nothin', so just let me go home, okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Buttercup snorted derisively, "Just keep your distance."

With those words Buttercup flew away, and Ace looked after her in confusion. He had never seen a child that looked like that, and certainly never one that could fly. At least...he didn't think he had. Either way, he'd have to have a talk with Grubber about this Blossom girl...whoever she was.

* * *

It was a few hours later that the girls and boys made it home. Everyone was eager for dinner, especially since when they walked in, they could smell the telltale aroma of fresh garlic bread and ravioli. The professor had really gone all out for dinner tonight, and the kids were so hungry after a long day of fighting crime.

Boomer and Butch messily ate their ravioli while Bubbles texted on her phone and Buttercup told the professor all about this group of bank robbers she stopped, purposefully leaving out the part where she confronted Ace prior to that. Blossom was content to eat her dinner, but then 15 minutes into the meal her smartphone started to vibrate in her pocket. She looked to see who it was, and it was a notification from Grubber. She excused herself and flew to her room, and Buttercup raised a suspicious eyebrow at this behavior.

EverythingNice98: Grubber, hey! You at the library, or did they finally kick you out for licking books?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I'm at home, I'm pleased to say. It's been a most wonderful day for me. I finally bit the bullet and bought my very own smartphone! I love this thing. I've already downloaded an app that translates everything one says into dog barks!

EverythingNice98: Um...why would you need that?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I think the real question is why doesn't everybody have one? Haven't you ever wondered what you would sound like as a dog?

EverythingNice98: I already know. You don't remember when Mojo Jojo turned everyone in the world into dogs?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Oh yeah! I remember now! I can't recall the last time I sniffed my own butt so much. Good times...

EverythingNice98: Oh brother! You're at it again -_-'

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hey, you can't turn this off! :P

EverythingNice98: Hah hah. Funny. So what else is new?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Well...in sadder news, Ace beat up Snake again. He got some ice for Snake's injuries and apologized over and over again, but...I hate to say it, but I think they're back to their old patterns of Ace beating Snake and Snake taking it. I normally wouldn't mind the normalcy, except now we all know Snake is capable of killing one of us if he's pushed too far. I just hope Ace doesn't overplay his hand.

EverythingNice98: Jeez, why did Snake even come back? Why is he still there? Do you think there's any hope things will get better?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I don't know, honestly. So, tell me some news from your end. How are your brothers fairing?

EverythingNice98: They're doing okay. Today I taught Butch how to patrol around Townsville. He said the funniest thing today! I asked how he and his brothers could stand living with Him for those few months when they worked for him since he's the ultimate evil, and Butch said "Ultimate evil my butt! He lives in a crummy apartment, watches crummy soap operas, and still plays with a rubber ducky! LOL! XD

WildThing-HeartStrings: I've always thought Him was an odd individual. He comes across as otherworldly at times, but then when one of you punches him he bleeds just like the rest of us. I suppose we all have our personas we wear to keep people from messing with us. I like mine better :P

EverythingNice98: LOL! Me too. I just think it's weird that Butch and Boomer aren't even crazier than they are considering everything they went through. I mean, how would you feel if you were created by Mojo Jojo, owed a life debt to Him, and then were abandoned by both of them to live out on the streets?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hm...From now on I'm going to imagine Big Billy's parents as Mojo Jojo and Him. Pfft! :P

EverythingNice98: Why is that?

WildThing-HeartStrings: It's not my place to give details, but let's just say Billy has some abandonment issues. It's tragic really. Billy is a good man that devotes himself to whoever he loves, yet he gets so little of that love in return. I wish this wasn't all there was for him. He may be the size of a small house, but to me he's like a little brother.

EverythingNice98: Bubbles is like that. She's very giving, and she expects the best from people despite the fact that our job is _literally_ to fight the worst of the worst. I don't know how she keeps that optimism. I think she's just really good at not bringing it home with her. It's like her superhero work and her personal life are in two different boxes in her mind. I can't do that. Everything I do is connected to everything else I do. I think I'm more like Buttercup that way.

WildThing-HeartStrings: There's nothing wrong with passion. You care about what you do no matter what it is. I'm not like that, but I can still admire those that are. It's good you're self-aware, but don't judge yourself based off what other people can do. You are Blossom, and that's all the world needs you to be. Oh, I gotta go! Snake's sling just fell off and he needs my help. Ciao :P

EverythingNice98: Bye, Grubber :)

Grubber put his phone down and went over to help Snake. Big Billy, who had been sitting in the corner eating chips this entire time, noticed that the phone was unguarded. He had been fascinated with the shiny new device ever since Grubber brought it home, and Grubber assured him that during their next heist he would snag one for Billy. Billy wanted to see that one though, and it was _right there..._

Sneakily, while Grubber was tending Snake's arm, Billy picked the phone up off the floor and stared down at the screen. It was still on the last site Grubber visited, and Billy could see there was a wall of messages on there. He couldn't read very well, so he mouthed out what he thought the sounds would be. Luckily for him no one else noticed what he was doing.

Billy only managed to read the first two words of the conversation after a few minutes of sounding out, but what he read he comprehended with lightning clarity.

 _Hello Blossom_.

Blossom. The pink Powerpuff Girl. The meanest, bossiest, smartest Powerpuff Girl. There were only two people on the direct message board, so Billy figured out this had to be Grubber. Grubber was talking to Blossom, the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. The gang hated the Powerpuff Girls. Billy hated the Powerpuff Girls. The Powerpuff Girls were bad, and they were talking to Grubber. What could this mean?

By the time Grubber came back Billy had put down the phone, so engrossed was he in this strange riddle he had come across. Grubber was his friend and part of the gang. The Powerpuff Girls were bad. Grubber was talking to a Powerpuff. A Powerpuff was talking to him. Why?

Billy knew he couldn't ask. Grubber would get mad at him for using his phone. It was the first thing in years Grubber bought with his own money, and Billy knew he wasn't supposed to play with it. No, Billy had to figure this out on his own.

After running this puzzle through his mind as many ways as he could, Billy's head hurt and his legs ached from not moving from his spot on the floor in over an hour. He felt he had finally cracked the code though. He had figured out what was going on. The Powerpuffs were trying to hurt the gang, and they were going to do it by hurting Grubber. Billy had to save his friend!


	20. The Master Plan

_Author's Notes: I know this chapter is stupidly long, but the flow works better if I don't break it up into two parts. Anyway, there's only one chapter left after this one. Yes! That's right, boys and girls! This fic is almost done! I'm as surprised as you are. LOL! Anyway, thank you so much for reading, and stay tuned for the final chapter of "Friendship Is a Many Splendored Thing" :)_

* * *

Chapter 20

The Master Plan

The hotline rang at the Powerpuff home, and Blossom rushed to answer it just as she always did. Crime had actually been rather slow the past few days, so she knew Buttercup and the boys were ready for some action. She just wanted to get this over with so she could get back to her homework.

"What's the trouble, Mayor?" Blossom asked in her official sounding voice.

"Bwah, Powerpuff Girls! You have to help!" The mayor shouted frantically, "There's been a prison break, and now there are criminals running around all over Townsville. Hurry!"

Blossom slammed the phone down and turned to her siblings, who were at the moment watching Lilo and Stitch and paying no attention to her.

"Guys, there's trouble," Blossom informed them, "There are criminals all over Townsville due to a prison break. Let's go!"

Bubbles and Buttercup got up immediately, and Butch grabbed a bag of chips before following them. Boomer was just going to sit there and watch the rest of the movie, but then Buttercup came back and dragged him by his shirt, so he had to go too. With five superheroes on the case it would be easy to capture those hardened criminals and get home in time to see the rest of the movie.

The five kids split up and flew at lightning speeds all around town, each one grabbing criminals and dropping them back into prison. It wasn't hard to pick out which ones were escaped convicts, as they were all still wearing their orange jumpsuits.

Butch and Boomer were flying together and had two crooks by their legs as they flew back to the prison. The prisoners were of course terrified because the boys kept almost bumping into signposts and buildings, but then just barely missing them. The prisoners weren't always so lucky, and every now and then they would get knocked against something.

"We shoulda made this a contest," Butch said to Boomer, "I mean, I bet I could capture more convicts than anybody. At the very least it shoulda been us against the girls."

"But there's three of them and only two of us," Boomer pointed out, "Besides, you always cheat."

"Do not!" Butch argued.

"Do too!" Boomer countered.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Oh hey, we're here," Butch announced in the middle of their fight, "Welcome home, losers. Hey, tell Ramrod I said hi."

"Will do..." The prisoner Butch was holding replied woozily.

It took another 30 minutes for the Puffs and Ruffs to gather up every criminal they could find. The warden thanked them for their help, but then had to explain to them that there were still 7 guys missing.

" _Seven_?" Blossom asked incredulously, "But we looked everywhere! That was every crook and convict in Townsville. Who's missing?"

"Well, there's Jim "Gumshoe" Murphy, Tyson Wallace, Greg Hudson, Pooter Cunningham, Roger Dallas, Wu Chang, and Ed "Jawbreaker" Malloy."

"Hm...How did seven guys just go missing off the face of the planet?" Blossom asked herself.

"They probably found some place to hide," Bubbles theorized.

"Yeah, or they all fell down a manhole cover," Butch snickered, "I've met Pooter Cunningham, and he was _pretty_ dumb."

"They all were," The cop concurred, "But the Taser Blades aren't exactly known for attracting Rhodes scholars."

"The Taser Blades?" Blossom repeated, "I've heard of those guys. They're one of the newer street gangs, right?"

"Yeah. Bunch of thugs, but that ain't news around here," The cop replied, "The town's crime rate has been steadily declining for the past 9 years, but there's still a lot of gang activity on the bad side of Townsville."

"No, I mean was every missing inmate a member of this gang?" Blossom inquired.

"Yeah. In fact, they were the only ones in here that was in that gang," The cop realized, "Hm, so this was a coordinated plot by the Taser Blades. Well then where the devil did they get that giant robot?"

"Giant robot?" Buttercup asked skeptically.

"Yeah, it blasted a hole so big it took out the west wall," The cop explained, "Huh, that thing must've taken those Taser Blade jokers with it when it left."

"Yeesh, the mayor coulda mentioned that before," Butch snorted.

"Well to be fair, he is getting pretty old," Bubbles weakly defended.

"Officer, do you have security footage of the robot?" Blossom asked.

"Sure, you can look at it right now if you want," The cop replied agreeably.

The superheroes went with the police officer to a room full of security monitors. The cop found the correct tape and started playing it for them. Blossom fast forwarded through most of the day since she knew she'd be able to catch the second the robot came on screen. When she got to the part she was looking for she unpaused it, and saw the aforementioned robot causing mayhem. It had a shiny yet bulky design, with large arms and hands and a cannon jutting out of its chest. Everyone watched closely, and sure enough, the seven gangsters walked inside an open compartment on the robot's foot and got away.

"Well, there's our culprit," Buttercup said unnecessarily.

"I know that robot," Boomer suddenly said, and everyone turned to regard him, "It's one of Mojo Jojo's. He didn't like using it because the cannon overheats. He said he could only fire once."

"Hey, yeah, I remember now!" Butch exclaimed with an impish smile, "Brick wanted to test drive it, but Mojo said no, so we took it for a joyride, but then Brick accidentally messed up some wires that screwed up the cannons, and Mojo yelled until his face turned as red as Brick's eyes! Hahahahaha!"

"What would a mad scientist like Mojo Jojo want with a bunch of nobodies like the Taser Blades?" Blossom pondered.

"Maybe he's gonna dissect them," Butch guessed.

"Yeah, or maybe he's gonna use them as human shields," Boomer added.

"The most obvious explanation is he wants minions," Blossom reasoned.

"Minions?" Boomer asked, "You mean he's gonna turn them into yellow pills with goggle eyes?"

"Oh, brother!" Butch facepalmed.

"No, I mean Mojo wants the Taser Blades to join forces with him for some big evil plan," Blossom explained, "We have to stop him! Let's go!"

The Puffs and Ruffs left the bewildered officer and the prison behind, and then took off in the air toward the volcano observatory. The girls knew that whatever plan Mojo Jojo had, it had to be stopped. The boys however were having a very different conversation as they brought up the rear.

"I can't believe that son of a chimp replaced us!" Butch ranted, "He left us to die and now he just goes off and finds some randos to do our job?! This is an outrage!"

"It's not our job anymore," Boomer reminded him, "We have a new life now. We have the professor, our sisters, and saving Townsville. Sure it's not as fun as mayhem and destruction, but it just...feels right."

"That's not the point!" Butch snapped.

"Then what is the point?" Boomer asked in confusion.

"It's that he just picked a bunch of losers to replace us!" Butch huffed, "He made us, he kicked us out, and now he's just gonna...just gonna...we were just another failed experiment to him. He thinks we're failures!"

"Who cares what he thinks?" Boomer retorted, "Just because he's our creator, and we had so much fun doing stuff together, and he said he was proud of us, and he said we were his greatest creation, and...aw, crap! I do care! Thanks a lot, Butch!"

By the time their argument got to this point they were at the volcano observatory, and the girls were already flying overhead waiting for the boys to catch up. The group used their x-ray vision to peer inside, and they saw Mojo Jojo in his laboratory checking the levels on some gauges. He was surrounded by human-sized jars, and that was never a good sign.

The kids broke through the ceiling and into the lab, and the girls cried out "Not so fast, Mojo Jojo!"

"Ah, Powerpuff Girls! Just who I was hoping to see," Mojo replied with a malevolent grin, "And what's this? The Rowdyruff Boys? I must admit I am rather disappointed you would choose to associate with these girls and forsake your evil heritage. Your association with them is most disappointing. Oh well. No matter. Soon all shall feel the wrath of Mojo Jojo, and it is only fitting that you five are the first. Mwahahahahaha!"

Mojo Jojo then pulled a lever, and every glass casing was raised to the ceiling, revealing dozens of hyper-muscular supermen. The girls and boys weren't too concerned at first, but then the muscle-bound goons started floating in the air, and they realized that the Taser Blades had been infused with chemical X!

"Oh, boys~" Mojo called out in a singsong voice, "Finish them."

The Taser Blades rushed for the superheroes, and they took off in several different directions. Butch and Buttercup fought back to back against a couple of the bruisers. They would turn around after each attack to keep their assailants on their toes. They made a pretty good team, able to predict each other's moves and coordinate with perfect timing.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough when four more Taser Blades rushed them, outnumbering them and taking them down. Buttercup and Butch struggled in the grasp of their attackers, but then both felt a pinprick simultaneously and grew weaker within a matter of seconds. Buttercup was the first one to read the fine print on the needle: Antidote X.

Bubbles and Boomer flew for their lives from the Taser Blades that were on their tail. A perfect two-toned blue circle of light was formed around the room as the duo tried to keep their distance from the gangsters. It wasn't enough to stop them however, as two more Taser Blades blocked their path, and the ones behind them jabbed them with needles filled with antidote X. They both fell to the ground when they were no longer able to fly.

Blossom was the last one still in the game, and she decided that she had to do as much damage to Mojo's evil plans as possible. She used her laser eyes to destroy machines as she flew by them, hoping that something she wrecked would unravel his whole plan. How was she supposed to fight at least twenty grown men and teenage boys with superpowers just like hers? She knew it was too much, but she would go down fighting.

Finally after a minute of wanton destruction she felt a prick at her leg, and then crashed into Mojo's armchair when she could no longer fly. As her eyes struggled to stay open she saw one of the Taser Blades hovering over her, and saw his big meaty hand reaching down for her, and then...darkness.

* * *

Winifred Ingleberry drove around Townsville for the fourth day in a row. She knew it was crazy to keep doing this, but her son had been missing for almost a week at this point and she couldn't get the Citysburg police department to take it seriously. She worried he had been killed by that Ace fellow or else had run afoul of a rival gang, but she knew if Sanford was in fact still alive that he would have gone back to Townsville. After all, it was the one place he knew like the back of his hand.

Mrs. Ingleberry noticed that her check engine light was on. Her station wagon was old and this would happen frequently. She didn't worry about it at first, but that mistake would cost her. When Winifred got to the industrial district her car started sputtering and smoke started coming from the hood! She pulled over, but before she could even turn off the car it just stopped running. Her car was busted and she didn't know where she was.

"Oh dear..." She whispered ominously as she stepped out of her vehicle, "I hope this is a safe neighborhood."

She grabbed her purse and shut the door to her car. Looking around, it seemed that this was in fact a very dangerous place to be. She was in front of a laboratory building, but the place had been smashed. Broken walls, broken windows, and a chemical smell that could not be safe was what greeted her. Winifred stepped back against her car, but then she heard a groaning sound as well as the sound of trash cans being pushed aside.

She looked over to the alley to see what it could be, only to be confronted by the largest green man she had seen since her husband died. This creature looked like what would happen if a sumo wrestler was both seasick and Irish, and judging from the bruises on his body he had just been in a fight. Winifred's first instinct was to run, but then she saw a blue and black tattoo peeking out from under his right sleeve. GGG. He was one of _them_.

"Excuse me, sir?" Mrs. Ingleberry called out to the gangster despite her nervousness.

"Uh...hi," The man smiled and waved. Well, he didn't seem angry at least. That was a good sign.

"Um, hi. My name is Mrs. Ingleberry and I'm looking for my son," She explained as quickly as she could before he decided she was a threat or a target, "I wonder if you've seen him. His name is Sanford, and he's a member of your gang."

"Sanford?" The man replied in confusion, "Dah...Sanford...Oh! Billy remember now! That's Snake's name!"

"Snake?" Winifred whispered to herself incredulously, but then in a louder voice said, "Um, yes. _Snake_. That's him. Please, tell me, have you seen him? He's my son, and I haven't seen him in days. I promise whatever I see stays between us, I just need to know he's okay. Do you know where he is?"

"Yeah, he's at home," Billy replied.

"Well, where is your home?" Mrs. Ingleberry asked.

"At our house," Billy replied, not realizing how unhelpful that answer was.

"Yes, but where _is_ your house?" Winifred asked impatiently.

"Dah...Billy know this. They tell me to rememorize it," Billy replied in frustration at his own brain's incompetence, "Um...It, uh...It start with a M."

"Could you get to your house from here?" Winifred asked.

"Yes," Billy replied, but then suddenly shouted, "Wait! Where's the monkey man?"

"Monkey man?" Winifred asked while backing away, this shift in conversation slightly unnerving her.

"Yeah! Billy come to lab to steal antidote X, but when Billy take it the monkey man show up and take it from Billy," Billy tried to explain, "Then a bunch of tough guys throw Billy out the window. Up there," Billy pointed to a window several stories high, "And then Billy fall down in the dumpster. There was half a slice of pizza in the dumpster. I ate it. Now Billy no feel so good."

Winifred didn't know what to say to that. This man may have been huge and intimidating, but it was clear he had all the brains God gave a head of cabbage. She didn't know whether to trust him or not, but he seemed to know where her son was. She just hoped he wasn't hurt or dead when she finally got to him.

"Please, could you take me to your house so I can see my son?" Winifred asked with all the forced politeness she could muster, "I only want to see if he's okay. Nothing else. I won't interfere with your, um...activities. Just take me to Sanford, please."

"Dah, okay," Billy replied agreeably.

Winifred sighed in relief. Finally she was getting somewhere, even if she would have to take a cab back to Citysburg. She just hoped this oversized enforcer didn't get them both lost or lead her into an ambush. Winifred Ingleberry might have married an abusive louse when she was young, but generally she was a polite middle class citizen that had nothing to do with the seedy or strange sides of life. In other words, she didn't know how to handle this situation she'd thrust herself into.

* * *

"What'll it be, Arturo?" Ace asked with a sly grin.

"I bet 50," Arturo replied as he threw two quarters in the pile, "It's 50 to you, Snake."

"Well...I gots a good hand. I raissse you one dollar," Snake replied as he pulled a wadded up dollar bill from his shorts pocket and tossed it in the pile.

The poker game had been going on for 15 minutes and they were still on the first hand. They had started by betting pennies, and now they were up to a dollar. Everyone turned to Grubber to see what he would do, and he put a dollar and a penny on the pile.

"You only raised a penny?" Ace asked as he quirked an eyebrow, "Dat's it. I'm callin' yer bluff. Pair of threes. Read 'em and weep."

"I'm outs," Snake replied as he showed a completely mismatched hand.

"I got a pair of fives and a pair of sevens," Arturo said cockily, "Looks like I'm gonna win."

Grubber then showed them his full house, and everybody groaned.

"Aw, man! _Again_?" Arturo exclaimed in exasperation, "How do you _always_ win, Grubber?"

"Pfft pft!" Grubber explained.

"Hm, good point," Arturo conceded, "Who wants to play another hand?"

"Nah, Billy might be back sssoon," Snake replied, "He alwaysss forgetsss to bet money when playing."

"Pfft?" Grubber asked.

"You know, he didn't really say where he was goin'," Ace realized, "Eh, he's probably at the park or Malph's or somethin'. He'll be back."

As if on cue, the sound of Billy's monstrous footsteps could be heard on the wooden stairs of the porch. Grubber quickly licked up the money and Snake collected up the cards. They didn't want Billy to know they had been playing without him because his feelings got hurt about that sort of thing so easily. When Billy came in however, the first thing they noticed was that he wasn't alone.

"Who's this señora?" Arturo asked as soon as they walked in, "If you're with the police we just want you to know we're not squatting in this house. We were just, uh, leaving. Right guys?"

"Pfft," Grubber replied and nodded his head vigorously.

"She ain't a cop, Arturo," Ace explained, "Dat's Snake's old lady."

Winifred however couldn't reply. She felt frozen in place at what she was seeing. Ace, the man that had hunted down her son to kill him, was standing in the room with not only Sanford but other members of his gang as well. She had never seen so many green faces in her life, and the building they were living in smelled like cat urine and looked like it was ready to fall apart. The large man was behind her, and three gangsters and her son were in front of her. In short, Mrs. Ingleberry was surrounded and trapped.

"What are you doing here, Mama?" Snake asked, sounding almost concerned for her.

When Mrs. Ingleberry looked up in her son's face, she noticed that he had two black eyes and there was dried blood on his hat. So, he had been in a fight. She wondered if the gang had done this to him or if it was something else.

"I, um..." Winifred's voice was barely a whisper as she tried to speak.

"Mama?" Snake prodded again.

"You need to sit down, Mrs. Ingleberry?" Ace asked as he offered his hand.

Winifred recoiled from him as if he were a poisonous spider. She looked from one man to another, and each seemed worse than the last. There was one that was small enough to fit in a stroller but had an underbite that made him look like a green piranha. There was one that looked like a rotting corpse with a fungal infection. Then there was Ace, the man that could order these monstrosities to kill her and her son both. She had come to rescue her son, but now she felt so helpless.

"Mama, it'sss okay," Snake assured her, "We can talk in my room."

"Okay," Winifred meekly replied.

Snake led her to the room where he slept, and she scrunched her nose in distaste at how trashy everything looked. His mattress had several springs poking out. His armchair was oozing yellow stuffing and had claw marks from a previous owner's cat. His end table was just a plastic crate turned upside down with a scented candle on it. Even the walls were covered in black mold and peeling paint.

"I've seen nicer looking homeless shelters," Was Winifred's first comment.

"Mama, why did you come here?" Snake asked her again, "I sssolved the problem. I left. I made peaccce with Accce. You don't have to sssell your houssse. Everything'ss fine now."

"You didn't tell me what you were doing," His mother replied accusingly, "When I came home and you weren't in your bed I searched all over the house. When you weren't there I waited in case you just went out for a walk. When you didn't come home the next day I called the police. They wouldn't take your case because they said they had too many cases to work to fool with a grown man running away from home. Sanford, I thought you were dead! I thought Ace had tracked you down and put a bullet in your brain! How could you do this to me? How could you make me worry about you so? Do you hate me so badly?"

"You wasss worried?" Snake asked as if the idea had never occurred to him, "But Mama, we barely know each other. I ssscrewed up your life. I thought you'd be happy to sssee me go."

"And return to your life in a street gang? How is _that_ supposed to make me happy?" His mother shouted caustically, "Please Sanford, I want you to come home. You don't belong with these vile creatures. You belong in Citysburg with a normal job, a normal home, and a normal life. You were robbed of that when your father let his pride ruin your life, but it's not too late. We can leave all this ugliness behind and get you settled in where you belong. You don't have to live with these neanderthals anymore."

"Mama," Snake said soberly as he looked into her eyes, "Thossse _creaturesss_ are jussst as much my family asss you are. They took care of me, they protected me, they fed me, the ssstole for me, and they sssat by my ssside when we gots arresssted. I know it'sss not a pretty picture, but I do belong here. I can't lead a normal life. I'm a convicted felon. No one would hire me. Even if I gots a job, I have no experienccce doing anything. Everything I know isss in Townsssville, and the people who took care of me when no one elssse would are in thisss houssse. I appreciate you coming here, and it meansss the world that you ssstill love me, but I'm not going back with you. I'm sssorry."

"But you might get shot," Winifred replied, tears forming in her eyes, "Sanford, I'm worried about your safety. I mean just look at you! You've already managed to get in a fight, if your black eyes are to be believed. Will those punks really protect you after what you did to their leader, or will they let you die the next time you're in actual danger?"

"I know it sssounds weird, but I ssstill trussst them. Accce isssn't perfect, but he triesss. Everyone hasss flawsss, but everyone hasss good thingsss too. Billy once tore down a tree by it'sss rootsss becaussse I got ssstuck up there. Arturo sssometimesss letsss me ussse hiss comb when I has a date, and that comb isss a family heirloom. Grubber alwaysss triesss to make me laugh when I'm sssad or lonely. Even Accce...we've told each other our darkessst sssecretss...and he doesssn't even remember. He needsss me, Mama. _They_ need me, and I needs them."

"Well, I still think you're making a mistake," Winifred ruefully replied, "But I can't stop you. Legally you're an adult, and you've been on your own for a long time. Just promise me that you'll call me sometimes. I know you've had a long time to build up resentment toward me, but I do still love you. I want you to stay in my life, Sanford. Even if you are still a part of this horrible gang. Just stay safe, okay?"

"Yesss, Mama," Snake replied, a small smile on his face.

"And, um, at the risk of aiding and abetting," Winifred added sheepishly, "Would you like me to come back with one of your father's pistols to keep beside your bed? Just in case?"

"No Mama, it won't be a problem," Snake assured her, and then leaned in to whisper, "Grubber buried Acce'ss gun in the backyard. He'll never missss it."

Winifred chuckled along with her son, and then hugged him as if it would be the last time. For all she knew it would be. After all, she was leaving him in the same miserable pit she found him in.

As Winifred stood up to leave she took one final look at Sanford. His slitted pink eyes reminded her so much of his father, but his slender delicate frame was so much like her. Despite his ragged clothes, his goatee, and that damnable blue and black tattoo, Winifred didn't see a hardened criminal. She saw a little boy coming home from school proudly holding aloft an incomplete math paper because he had drawn something cool on the blank side. She saw a toddler with a face covered in jelly from his sandwich. She saw her little boy, no matter how old he looked.

* * *

When Blossom awoke the first thing she was aware of was pain. Everything hurt, especially her head. She struggled to open her eyes and when she did, she noticed that she and her siblings were all inside a cage with Mojo Jojo and a few of his goons outside the bars grinning evilly at them.

"Ah, girls. So glad you are awake and alert to see my most ingenious evil plan," Mojo Jojo gloated over them, "And boys. Such a shame you had to be caught in the crossfire, but just like a traitor to any dynasty I'm afraid your punishment will be death."

"Whatever you're planning you'll never get away with, Mojo Jojo!" Blossom shouted defiantly at him.

"At the risk of sounding cliche my dear Blossom, I already have," Mojo Jojo purred, "My Taser Blades will soon swarm Townsville, wreaking havoc in their wake. They will pillage, plunder, pilfer, and pound the citizens of Townsville into submission! Once they have warmed up with Townsville, my boys will hit several major landmarks all over the world, and in order to stop the damage the world will bow to me, and make me their king! Mwahahahahaha!"

"Hey, if we're doin' all the work why should you get the credit?" One of the Taser Blades suddenly objected.

"Kyle, don't be an idiot," One of his friends warned him under his breath.

" _Kyle_? Dude, that's the stupidest villain name ever! Hahahaha!" Butch laughed hysterically.

"Look monkey boy, we already got what we needed from you, so I don't see why we need you anymore," Kyle observed, "I say we kill Mojo and take his stuff."

The others looked too fearful to face Mojo Jojo, but Kyle didn't back down. Mojo Jojo didn't try to reason with him or even look nervous. He just stood there and waited. Kyle flew toward Mojo ready to take him out with one punch, and quick as a flash Mojo Jojo whipped out a chemical gun from his belt and shot Kyle! Antidote X coursed through his veins, and his muscles shrank down to nothing as he passed out from the sudden loss of vitality.

"Oh boys, take Kyle out of the lab and see that he is dealt with... _permanently_ ," Mojo Jojo ordered sinisterly.

"You mean kill him, right?" One of the goons asked.

"Um, obviously!" Mojo replied in a no-duh tone of voice, "You don't say it out loud though. It isn't as suspenseful! Alluding to ill intentions is far more ominous than stating the obvious outright. Where is your flare for the dramatic?"

"Sorry boss," The goon simpered.

"Very well, just get on with it," Mojo Jojo dismissed them, "My monitors need to be ready and in perfect working condition. Powerpuff Girls, you have thwarted my plans and destroyed my dreams for far too long. For too long now I have suffered through humiliating defeat after humiliating defeat. It is not enough for me to simply destroy you, not after all these years. I am finally ready to take over the world, and now there is nothing you can do to stop me! There are cameras all over town for when my Taser Blades start their reign of terror. I will force you to witness in helplessness as everything you love is torn away from you and everyone you love is brought under my heel! Then, once you have known that you failed everyone and everything you ever cared about, only then will I allow your suffering to end. This is my greatest victory, and I want to _savor_ it."

"Is all this talking part of the torture?" Buttercup asked wryly.

Mojo Jojo facepalmed, and the girls and boys laughed with Buttercup at Mojo Jojo's longwindedness.

"Laugh now, you insipid twits!" Mojo Jojo groused, "Without your powers you can do nothing to stop me! Now I must go and repair my broken machines, and once they are repaired I will continue with my master plan in earnest. Razor! Greg! Guard the prisoners."

Two very large bulky goons showed up wearing malicious grins on their faces. Mojo Jojo left the kids alone with the meatheads, and all five of the trapped superheroes huddled together to try to come up with a plan to save themselves and Townsville.

"Okay everyone, the first step is we need to figure out how to escape," Blossom whispered to the group.

"Duh!" Bubbles replied anxiously, "But how do we do that? We have no powers and those henchmen are watching us like hawks."

"Maybe one of us could distract them while someone else breaks the bars," Butch suggested.

"It won't work," Blossom told him, "We can't break the bars. We need more chemical X, but we can't get any until we get out of here, but we can't get out of here without our powers."

"Great. The circle of death," Buttercup ground out irritably.

"Wait a minute, I've got an idea," Blossom said, "That one guy has a smartphone. Maybe we could use it to call the professor. Then he could call the police."

"The police? Against these guys?" Buttercup scoffed, "They don't stand a chance. Even _we_ didn't stand a chance!"

"Shh! They'll hear you!" Boomer chided, "Okay, so the cops are out, but Blossom is right about us needing help. Maybe the professor could call some other superheroes. Maybe that Major Glory guy is free."

"He lives on the other side of the country," Blossom sighed, "Besides, if we call him for help we'll never live it down. He's kind of a jerk."

"Just call Ms. Bellum. Oh, and the mayor," Bubbles quickly added that last sentence.

"Yeah, Ms. Bellum's smart. She'll know who to call," Buttercup agreed.

"I don't know the mayor's number," Blossom informed them, "He always calls us."

" _Oh_ ," Everyone sighed in unison.

"Hey, keep it down, shorties!" One of the guards snapped at them, "Don't make me come in there! Boss said you had to be alive for him to kill you, but he said nothin' 'bout injuries."

"Um, excuse me?" Blossom addressed him politely so as to try to seem more innocent, "I know we're going to die today, so could we call our professor and tell him we love him? It might be our last chance."

The guy thought about it for a minute, but then shrugged and tossed the phone to the pink Powerpuff. Blossom barely managed to catch it before it fell on the floor, and then tried to call the professor. When she got to the keypad feature however...

"The phone part is locked," Blossom noted.

"I know," The man replied indifferently, "T-Rod locked it when I drunk-dialed his ex girlfriend and asked her for nude pics. It doesn't text either. If you wanna surf the net though I don't mind. Your internet history can't be worse than mine. Heh heh heh."

The group huddled again, this time at more of a loss.

"What kind of phone doesn't call or text?" Buttercup hissed incredulously, "What brand did they buy, Brokia?"

"Well...we could watch cat videos until Mojo Jojo comes back," Bubbles suggested impotently.

"Okay, we could say we're in trouble on social media, but that would just cause the town to panic," Blossom pondered out loud, "We could livestream our capture, but again, that would just cause widespread panic. If the town panics then they'll be more likely to give Mojo Jojo whatever he wants. If we want to save ourselves, then all we need is someone to get chemical X for us and sneak it into the lair."

"You could put out an ad for chemical X on Craigslist," Buttercup deadpanned.

"Um...I'm friends with Mitch Michelson on my Fairy Diva MMO," Bubbles said, "Maybe he could help?"

"Mitch? Yeah right!" Buttercup scoffed, "He laughs every time one of us bumps into a locker! I'd sooner call Him to help us out!"

"Don't mention Him," Butch groaned, "I've seen how he _helps_ , and believe me when I say we're better off with Mojo Jojo."

"Yeah, or any other villain for that matter," Boomer smirked, "Maybe we could call Fuzzy Lumpkins! Ooh ooh, or Princess! She looks like she has a lot of free time. Oh, or Sedusa! She won't save us, but I'd rather her be the last thing I see than Mojo! Hahahaha!"

"We can't _call_ anybody dummies," Buttercup growled, "That's the point. We're stuck!"

While the others were arguing Blossom was looking at the search engine trying to think of what she could do. Her social media was mostly just for branding purposes and therefore didn't have any real reliable people on there she could call for help. She tried to think of a plan, but admittedly the internet didn't seem like the answer. All she ever did on there anyway was study, browse her Myface page, and message Grubber on the poetry-

"That's it," Blossom said to herself while the others were talking, "It's a long shot, but at least someone smart like Grubber has a chance..."

* * *

Evening had fallen, and despite Snake's mother of all people showing up earlier, things had mostly gone back to normal once she left. Snake was his usual sullen self, Ace and Arturo were smoking together while watching TV, and Billy was eating a box of donuts. Grubber of course was writing poetry, but it wasn't easy using the tiny phone keyboard to write, and in this moment he missed their crummy old computer that Ace broke before 'the incident'.

Grubber had a good string of consciousness going, writing a poem about how majestic the dung beetle was, when he got a ping that told him he had a new message from Blossom. Oh well, his poem could wait. He would see what she wanted first.

EverythingNice98: Grubber, listen to me this is important! We've been captured by Mojo Jojo, and he used antidote X to take away our powers. He's working with the Taser Blades and they're going to destroy Townsville! We need chemical X if we're going to save the day. We're being held at Mojo Jojo's volcano observatory. If you can't help us then Townsville is doomed and so are we. Don't bother replying. Just find someone who can sneak some chemical X into the observatory. If I don't make it out of this, tell the professor I love him. Also, thank you for being my friend, even if you're also my enemy :')

Grubber's eyes somehow managed to bulge out even further when he read that. He was used to the Powerpuff Girls getting into some dire situations. As superheroes it was what they did. This however sounded serious. This sounded like life or death, and for whatever reason Blossom was trusting Grubber to help her. That in itself seemed like a terrible idea, given both his reputation and his general incompetence when it came to physical confrontation.

"Pfft?" Grubber just realized, she had said the Taser Blades. Those guys were bad news. That just made this situation worse. Grubber knew what he had to do though. Even though 'heroism' wasn't exactly in Grubber's vocabulary, 'loyalty' was. Blossom was his friend, and he couldn't leave her to die.

"Pfft pfft pbft!" Grubber frantically shouted for the other gang members, "Pfft pffftft! Pbft pbt! Pffftpfflt!"

"Blossom?" Ace repeated, "No way, man! We ain't doin' nothin' that has anything to do with Blossom! I already know you did somethin' involvin' her, and it ends now! You ain't goin' nowhere, Grubber!"

"Yeah, Blossom's mean!" Billy agreed.

"Pfftpft pfft ppffbbt!" Grubber tried desperately to convey the gravity of the situation, which was of course made less effective by the use of raspberry noises.

"Trouble?" Snake parroted, "Like...what kinds of trouble?"

Grubber ran a finger over his throat to demonstrate what he meant, and that seemed to get their attention.

"So...Mojo's gonna kill the Powerpuff Girls?" Arturo inquired.

Grubber nodded.

"So they won't be around to stop us from committing crimes no more?" Arturo asked for clarification, "I don't see the downside, dude."

Grubber's head hung, knowing he wouldn't be able to convince his friends.

"Pfft pfft pbt, pffrt pltf pfft," Grubber told them with finality.

"What'chu mean, going alone?" Arturo demanded to know, "You can't go up against a bunch of loco super psychos and Mojo Jojo by yourself!"

"Pfft!" Grubber insisted.

With those words (so to speak) Grubber stormed out of the hideout to go rescue Blossom. The other four gangsters just stood there in the living room watching him go. They couldn't believe Grubber just...left.

"We should help him," Snake declared, "Blossssom isssn't all bad. She let me leave town when I...you know. She sssaid I wasssn't all bad, and she wanted me to write to hers when I got sssettled. Besssidess, thisss iss Grubber we're talking about. He'sss our brother."

"He's gonna get himself killed," Ace replied stonily, "And it's my job to protect this gang. If he wants to disobey me, fine. You guys though, I ain't lettin' you get massacred for some chick. Forget it. If any of yous walk out that door tonight, you ain't gettin' back in. I mean it."

Ace then sat back down on the floor and started watching TV again. Snake, Billy, and Arturo looked at him forlornly, not knowing what to do. They hated the Powerpuff Girls, but Grubber was one of them. Do they let Mojo Jojo do their dirty work for them so they could gain more power, or do they risk their lives for Grubber? They knew Ace was just being pragmatic, but it still hurt. Arturo and Billy decided to follow Ace's lead and sit back down.

Snake couldn't help but think back to what his mother had said before she left. Would the gang protect him when the chips were down? Were they really going to let Grubber die running a fool's errand? Snake looked to the door, and then looked back at Ace. He was admittedly afraid of what could happen. If even the Powerpuff Girls couldn't save the day, then what chance did he have? He knew Grubber was doomed, but was he willing to doom himself too? Would Grubber do the same for him?

Yes. Of course Grubber would do it for him. He was even willing to risk his life for the stinking Powerpuff Girls! Snake took a step toward the door, but stopped. He didn't want to do this without the rest of the gang, but it seemed Ace's order was law. It would just be him and Grubber if he dared defy the gang. Could he really handle that?


	21. Shades

_Author's Notes: Well, what better way to start the month than by ending a fanfic I've been working on for a year and a half? It feels so weird to actually type the words "The End" and know I'm not coming back to this one. I feel like I put a lot of myself and my writing style into this story, which I know is weird for a fic like this one. I can only hope I'm giving this piece the proper sendoff and that any future Powerpuff Girls fics are as rewarding as this one. Thank you all for reading to the end, and I hope you like this final chapter of "Friendship Is a Many-Splendored Thing" :)_

* * *

Chapter 21

Shades

Mojo Jojo finished fixing his inventions in full view of his prisoners. The Powerpuffs and Rowdyruffs didn't know what to do or how to escape, and Butch and Buttercup were pretty sore from ramming their bodies full force into the energy bars several times already. The Taser Blades seemed eager for Mojo to give the go signal so they could fly out and terrorize Townsville.

"At last!" Mojo Jojo suddenly exclaimed, "My greatest work is completed! My ingenious plan is finally coming to fruition, and now with this incredible ingenious plan in motion I am finally ready to take over the world and watch as its denizens bow to me, their king! Mwahahahahaha!"

"Great, so we can go wreck the city now?" Razor asked expectantly.

"In a moment. Now it is time for me to activate the final sequence of your transformation," Mojo declared with an evil grin.

"What final sequence?" Razor asked, and the other Taser Blades looked at Mojo nervously.

" _This one_."

Mojo then flipped a switch that released a thin odorless gas into the room. The prisoners covered their mouths in case it was deadly to them, but they didn't feel any effects of the gaseous chemicals. The same could not be said for the Taser Blades, who began to convulse as their bodies warped and shifted all around them. Mojo laughed loudly as he watched his minions writhing in agony; knowing exactly what was happening to them.

"W-What did you _do_ _to us_? AHHHH!" Razor asked; his voice distorting even as he spoke.

Mojo did not answer them. He merely watched with undisguised glee as his peons changed from chemical X infused humans to mindless mutated monsters. Once the transformation was complete, the Taser Blades were nothing more than hulking drooling beasts awaiting the command of their master.

"What did you do to them?!" Blossom asked angrily.

"Do you like my new henchmen, Powerpuff Girls?" Mojo asked smugly, "I knew the Taser Blades would betray me once they had everything they ever wanted. I learn from my mistakes. When I tried this plan the first time with monkey henchmen they all turned on me and believed their plans were better than my plans even though they were my plans and therefore their plans were my plans. Well I'm not about to be caught with my pants down because of my plans' plans ever again! Intelligent lackeys believe themselves to be better than their master, which is me, so I knew brainless brutish goons was the answer. They are programmed to follow my every command, and the process cannot ever be reversed. They are mine, and soon the rest of Townsville will be mine as well! Mwahahahahaha!"

The children gasped, knowing full well what that long-winded explanation boiled down to. Mojo Jojo was going to use this formula on everyone in Townsville, turning them all into mindless zombie slaves. If they didn't do something, everything was going to be lost. Even as the girls tried to think of a way out, something happened that made the situation seem even more hopeless.

"Mojo?" Boomer called out in a contrite tone of voice, "I wanna be on your side again."

" _What_?!" The girls called out in unison.

"Are you crazy?" Butch asked critically, "He's just gonna turn us into monsters like those guys! Why would you try to work with him again?"

"I just want my dad back," Boomer told them, "Mojo, I don't care if you're in charge. I just wanna be a part of it. Just take me back, and we can go back to the way we were before. You'll be a great world ruler, I know it. I'm tired of all this sissy stuff and all these rules. I just wanna go back to the good times. Don't you?"

"No!" Bubbles cried out, "Boomer, you can't do this! The professor loves you! We love you! You're our brother!"

"No I'm not!" Boomer snapped at Bubbles, "I'm Mojo's son! Just leave me alone!"

"Well, well, finally you see reason," Mojo smiled at Boomer as he walked over to the cage, "I must admit, it would be nice to have a cooperative subject that still knew what was going on. A planet of nothing but braindead stooges would be rather boring. Alright then, I'll give you one more chance. What about you, Butch? Would you also like to renounce the Powerpuff Girls and their way of life?"

"Look Pops, I don't care about Townsville or being a superhero!" Butch shouted furiously, "But you left us to die! You kicked us out when it was too inconvenient to take care of us! Because of you Brick is gone! I would rather die right here than _ever_ do anything for you again! I hate you, and I hate Boomer for being a traitor!"

Mojo ignored Butch's tirade and ordered two of his mindless minions to stand on either side of him as bodyguards. He then unlocked the cage and allowed Boomer to walk out. Buttercup tried to make a run for it too, but one of the monsters just pushed her back inside and forced her to land roughly on her back.

"Thanks, Pop," Boomer replied gratefully, but then as his smile turned into a smirk he said, "You're the best."

Mojo was so pleased to see his son turn evil again, but that self-satisfaction gave way to surprise as Boomer took off as fast as his little legs would carry him toward the supply closet! He was going for the chemical X!

"Ed! Razor! Seize that boy!" Mojo ordered angrily as he pointed to Boomer, "I want that Powerpuff sympathizer!"

"Wait? He didn't betray us?" Butch asked in confusion.

" _Go Boomer, go_!" The girls urgently shouted, knowing this could be their chance to save Townsville.

Boomer was almost to the supply closet. His nubby arm barely brushed against the door handle before he was yanked away by a huge blue monster with sharp jagged teeth! Boomer struggled in the monster's grip, but without chemical X he was just a normal little boy ready to be slaughtered. The monster walked over to Mojo Jojo and showed him Boomer, and Mojo's face darkened at the sight of his former son.

"So, you thought you could fool me, did you?" Mojo asked in quiet rage, "Such betrayal, and after I agreed to give you another chance. If you had only waited, I would have given you more chemical X once the city was mine. But you threw all that away for these useless _children_ ," Mojo said as he gestured to the prisoners, "Now I have no choice. Any last words before you you meet your end, Boomer?"

"Yeah!" Boomer shouted defiantly, "The professor's a better dad than you'll ever be!"

Mojo was stunned and angered by such a declaration, but his shock quickly gave way to rage as he balled his fists and gritted his sharp teeth. He growled loudly and then screamed, "Razor! Kill that worthless little punk!"

" _Nooo_!" The other kids shouted as they threw themselves against the energy bars, which unfortunately would not break.

Boomer clenched his eyes shut so he wouldn't have to see the gory details. The monster opened his massive maw, ready to eat poor Boomer, but was stopped when it was suddenly hit in the face by an opened can of rotten tuna!

"What the?" Mojo asked in confusion, and then turned to see the source of the disturbance.

Quick as a rat running from a cat, Grubber leapt over to the monster and smeared the tuna right in its massive eyes. The monster howled in pain and dropped Boomer, who landed on top of Mojo. Boomer quickly ran over to the controls and released the others from their cage, and Grubber landed on the ground next to Boomer.

"Grubber! You actually came!" Blossom exclaimed happily.

"Pfft!" Grubber replied nonchalantly.

" _Grr_! Taser Blades! Kill those interlopers!" Mojo Jojo roared.

The kids and Grubber split up into different directions, each one trying to get to the supply closet for the chemical X. Grubber didn't actually know where the chemical X was, so he just did his best to distract whichever monster wanted to chase him. He knew this was a suicide mission, but to be fair this was probably the most important thing he would ever do in his life, so it still seemed worth it.

Blossom and Butch managed to get to the closet, but then were yanked away by an orange monster with spikes on his body. Butch spit in its face, and the monster roared and rubbed his eyes. Blossom used this opportunity to try to open the door, but it was locked and she no longer had her super strength to open it with. She searched for a key, but before she could find one a fuzzy purple monster threw her against the wall!

"Everyone, search for a key!" Bubbles shrieked when she saw what happened.

Bubbles and Boomer stuck close together and searched for something to use to open the door, but then Boomer was tackled by an irate Mojo Jojo!

"You foolish worthless ingrate!" Mojo shouted in Boomer's face as he held the boy down, "You tried to ruin my plans, but my plans continue as initially planned! I will enjoy this..."

Mojo then pulled a small laser pistol out of his boot and aimed it at Boomer's head at point blank range. Bubbles immediately threw herself at Mojo and got him off Boomer, but then an angry Mojo just turned the gun on Bubbles, who was struggling to get up off the ground.

"No, Mojo wait!" Boomer shouted as he pulled on the monkey's cape, "Don't shoot Bubbles! I'm the one you want!"

Mojo would hear none of it though, and aimed for Bubbles. He fired, but he missed when Grubber threw a metal trash can at the chimp's brain-protecting helmet hard enough to knock Mojo down.

Boomer helped Bubbles up and they hid behind a console; still scanning the room for a key. Grubber meanwhile was hopping from one spot in the room to the other, running on pure adrenaline to keep himself going. He had figured out that for some reason the Powerpuff Girls wanted that closet door open. He didn't know why, but he wanted to help. He went over to the door, but then was tackled from behind by one of the monsters!

Grubber struggled to free himself, but then another monster grabbed his legs while the first one ran its long sharp claws down his back! Grubber's scream sounded more like an emergency siren than any sound a human would make, and he clawed at the tile floor in a desperate effort to free himself; all to no avail. The monster raised its hand to strike the killing blow to Grubber, but then something of equal size rammed into it and knocked it into a large computer screen!

Grubber turned around to see what had happened, and he saw Big Billy standing over him protectively while the other three Gangreen Gang members looked around in frantic confusion at the melee taking place.

"You okay, Grubber?" Billy asked in concern.

"Pfft," Grubber replied, and then pointed to the closet as he said, "Pfft pft! Pfftbt!"

"The door? Why?" Ace asked.

Grubber just shrugged.

"Eh, whatever," Ace waved away the question, "A'ight, listen up. Arturo, you open the door. We'll provide the distraction."

"You got it, Ace," Arturo nodded; all business.

The Gangreen Gang split up to distract the Taser Blade monsters, which wouldn't be easy since their main targets were the Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys. Ace and Billy fought off several monsters with relative ease, but Snake saw Grubber was bleeding pretty badly from his back wounds and led him behind a computer to get him out of the way.

"Pfft pft?" Grubber asked why they changed their minds and decided to help him.

"Well..." Snake rubbed the back of head in embarrassment as he recalled the conversation that had transpired.

* * *

"You can't jussst ssit here and watch TV when Grubber could die tonight!" Snake shouted after watching Ace do nothing for a couple minutes, "He'sss our friend! Are you sssaying you would leave usss behind to die asss well?"

"You gonna do somethin' stupid like help out our psychotic superpowered enemies?" Ace asked sardonically.

"Boss?" Billy addressed him in a small pleading voice, "We gotta save Grubber. Billy don't want Grubber to die. Grubber is a good friend."

"Yeah, he's good alright," Ace replied bitterly, "Too good. Good people die young. Dat's just what happens. We ain't good though. We're the Gangreen Gang, and we're gonna rule Townsville for a lotta years to come."

Ace then adjusted his shades and went back to watching TV. Snake couldn't take this anymore. He knew it might earn him a severe beating, but he had to do something to make Ace see reason.

Without warning, Snake suddenly snatched Ace's sunglasses right off his head, and Ace swiftly stood up and glared at him hatefully. Arturo and Billy gasped, sure that this time Snake was dead meat.

"We go sssave Grubber, or I'll ssmash them under my foot," Snake threatened, "I mean it!"

Ace started to grab for the shades, but then stopped himself. It was a standoff for a few seconds as Ace and Snake stared at each other with malice and distrust. Finally though, Ace said something even Snake couldn't have seen coming.

"Fine. Break 'em. I don't care," Ace sighed, and everyone was taken aback, "They're just shades. I'll get more."

"You might be able to replaccce your shadesss, but we can't replaccce Grubber," Snake replied insistently, "He never asssks usss for anything. Now he needsss usss. Accce, We're a gang, and more than that we're friendsss. If you're not going to help usss, then at leassst let usss go."

Ace looked up at Snake from his position sitting on the floor watching TV, and then he looked at the shades Snake was holding. Snake didn't know what Ace was thinking, but Ace's eyes grew very distant and cloudy as he looked at his sunglasses. He then sighed heavily again, and said, "Fine. Let's go get Grubber back."

Billy and Arturo cheered and Billy lifted Ace in a tight bear hug. Ace managed to wriggle free of the large man's grasp and then dusted himself off to maintain some level of dignity. Snake put the shades back on Ace's face, and the leader of the gang casually walked out the door with his cronies in tow, ready to take on Mojo Jojo and anything else that dared threaten one of their own.

* * *

"...Ssso, yeah...I held hisss glassssess for ranssssom," Snake chuckled nervously, "If he killsss me, you can have my hat."

"Pfft!" Grubber laughed despite them still being in danger.

The pair dared to poke their heads out from behind the console, and they saw that the super kids were getting tired of running and Ace and Billy were still fighting. Arturo, being one of the smallest ones in the room, managed to sneak over to the door. The door was still locked, so he used an ice pick he kept in his pocket to try to pick the lock.

Meanwhile, Boomer found a vial of some chemical substance that Mojo forgot to lock up in the supply closet. He hoped against all hope it would be chemical X, but instead it turned out to be antidote X. Boomer grumbled under his breath, but decided he could still use this. Maybe he could use it to turn the Taser Blades back to normal and even the odds against Mojo Jojo.

Boomer ran toward a Taser Blade that had cornered Butch, and Butch was still trying to fight it off with a broom handle even though that clearly wasn't going to stop it from eating him. When Butch saw Boomer heading toward them however, he grew worried for his brother's safety.

"Stay back, Boomer!" Butch ordered curtly, "I got this!"

Boomer didn't listen however, and poured the antidote X on the monster. He had hoped it would turn the monster human again, but instead something terrible happened. The monster screamed at the top of its lungs, and then melted into nothing but a puddle of black goo!

"No!" Boomer exclaimed, "...What have I done?"

"You killed it!" Butch cheered gleefully, "Good work, bro!"

Boomer wasn't celebrating however. He fell to his knees and looked at the black puddle, so reminiscent of the illness that took their brother. That was what happened to Brick. He turned into a puddle of chemical X. That was also what almost happened to Boomer and Butch, and Boomer had accidentally subjected someone else to that same painful death. He teared up a little, and then he felt a fingerless hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Boomer," Bubbles said softly, "You didn't mean to."

"Incoming!" Butch suddenly screeched, ruining the somber moment.

The blue duo readied themselves for a fight, but instead what they saw before them was Big Billy.

"Uh, you Powerpuffs need some help?" Billy asked.

"Yes," Bubbles replied quickly, "Can you knock out the rest of the monsters for us?"

"Yeah, Billy help!" Billy shouted gamely as he balled his fists and squared his shoulders.

Billy ran off to fight more monsters, which was much easier for him than the other Gangreens in the group.

"Who the heck is that guy?" Butch asked Bubbles and Boomer.

"Right now? A friend," Was Bubbles' simple reply.

Meanwhile Arturo was still picking the lock and Ace noted that Billy was able to take care of most of the monsters. Ace looked around to see what he should be doing, and saw that the girl with the pink eyes was climbing a laser cannon in an effort to get away from one of the monsters, but the monster was quicker than her and would soon catch up.

Running toward the monster on the cannon, Ace pulled out a hunting knife and jumped up on the beast's back; ramming his knife into it with full force! He allowed his body to slide down, and he forced the blade to trail down with him; slicing the monster down its spinal column. The monster fell to the ground dead, and the pink eyed girl hopped down from the laser cannon.

"Thanks Ace," She said quickly as she looked around for more trouble.

"Anytime, uh..." Ace fumbled for a moment, and then finally gave up and asked, "What's yer name again?"

"Blossom," The titular Puff replied.

"Ah, so yer the one that's causin' all the trouble," Ace nodded in understanding, "Too bad. I was kinda hopin' to save an older damsel in distress."

Blossom just rolled her eyes and took off in the direction of her siblings. There would be safety in numbers. Ace snorted nonchalantly and then looked around to see what was going on. Fighting all of these monsters was getting them nowhere. They needed to get to the source of the monsters and stop that instead.

The green monkey seemed to be the one in charge, strange as that sounded. Ace figured if he could find the monkey and kill it then the monsters would go away. It wasn't a brilliant plan, but it was all he had.

As it turned out, Ace wouldn't have to look far for Mojo Jojo. He heard the sound of Snake screaming and knew that something had gone wrong. He ran in the direction of the scream, and saw Snake and Grubber cowering behind a console with Mojo aiming a laser gun at them.

"Foolish interlopers," Mojo tsk'ed at the cornered gangsters, "I could turn you into my minions like your rivals the Taser Blades, but you have annoyed me with your tomfoolery, so I am going to have to destroy you now. Any last words, hooligans?"

"Uh...don't kill us?" Snake joked feebly.

"Pfftpbt pfft!" Grubber added, which made Snake laugh at the crude insult Mojo couldn't understand.

Mojo sniffed in derision and pulled the trigger on his weapon. It didn't hit Snake however, but rather hit just to the right of Snake's head! Snake almost fainted when he saw how close it had come, and then wondered why it missed. The answer was obvious when he and Grubber saw Ace rolling around on the floor with Mojo trying to wrestle the gun out of the monkey's hands.

"Give me my weapon, you insolent green menace!" Mojo growled at Ace.

Ace only responded by snapping his fangs at Mojo, who backed away for a moment to avoid getting bitten.

Just as Ace was wrestling with Mojo Jojo and Billy was mowing down monsters like a one man army, Arturo suddenly exclaimed, "I got the closet door open! What do we need in here?"

"Yes! Way to go, Arturo!" Blossom cheered for the tiny gangster, "We need the chemical X! Hurry!"

Arturo couldn't reach the chemical X, which was on the top shelf, so Snake dared to run across the battlefield and grab it for them. Snake then threw the bottle of black liquid to the kids, and Blossom caught it and started drinking.

"Noooo!" Mojo Jojo bellowed, and then spitefully pulled the trigger on his weapon.

The laser blast hit Ace square in the chest, and he fell backward in a smoking heap! The Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys drank the chemical X and got their powers back instantaneously.

With their newfound strength, the girls made quick work of the rest of the monsters and the boys beat up Mojo Jojo, not just for this scheme but for everything he had ever put them through. When the Rowdyruffs were through, Mojo Jojo was little more than a heap of pain and spittle on the floor. The girls then went over to Mojo and asked him the only question left to ask.

"Alright Mojo, how do we turn the Taser Blades back to normal?" Blossom interrogated.

" _Back_?" Mojo coughed, his face one of contempt despite his precarious position, "There is no way...to turn them back! The process...is irreversible. They are mine...for as long as they live."

That was not the answer the girls wanted to hear. They could try to keep the monsters under sedation until the professor found a cure, but they would need a lot of help from the city to do that. They could put the monsters out of their misery, but that seemed wrong somehow. Even if these were bad guys, they were still people with families and lives. Blossom couldn't see them as less than human even though she wanted to. Getting to know Grubber had changed her views on the criminal element in Townsville, and she knew she wanted to help these young men become human again in any way she could.

The Gangreen Gang meanwhile went over to check on Ace. With his sunglasses still on his face it almost looked like he was fine, but then they looked down at his body. Unlike the last gunshot which had caused massive blood loss and head trauma, this blast left a cauterized hole the size of a baseball in his chest right where his heart used to be. There was no last minute goodbye or miracle this time. Ace was dead, and it had happened in an instant.

" _No_..." Snake whispered shakily.

"Dios mio..." Arturo added softly.

"Boss? I think the Powerpuff Girls saved the day," Billy told Ace, not yet aware of the severity of the situation, "Can we go now, Ace? Billy tired."

Billy then poked Ace's body, and Snake turned away, unable to look anymore. Grubber pulled on Billy's shirt to get his attention, and Billy turned to him.

"Pfft...Pfft pbt pft pfft," Grubber explained carefully.

"Dead?" Billy asked in a wounded tone of voice, "But...he was alive a minute ago."

Grubber just rubbed Billy's arm and looked at him pityingly. He knew it would take Billy a while to accept this. To be fair, it would take Grubber a long time to accept this too. Ace had been one of his best friends since they were kids. To just lose him like this felt so...empty.

"Grubber, are you and your friends alright?" Blossom asked once she was able to get away from Mojo and the monsters.

Grubber's warped disfigured face was often hard to read, but even Blossom could see the misery in his expression. Something was definitely wrong.

"Ace es muerto," Arturo told her as he hung his head.

"Huh?" Blossom asked, not understanding the Spanish Arturo used.

"He said: Ace is dead," Bubbles translated.

" _What_?" Blossom gasped, "No way! Are you sure?"

Grubber backed away so that Blossom could see what they saw, and she felt sick by the sight of it. It had been a clean hit, and Ace likely didn't even have time to suffer, but there was no coming back from that one. Blossom turned to give consolation to Grubber and his friends, but she could see they were already walking out of the observatory; not even bothering to take Ace's remains with them.

* * *

It had been eight days since the battle in Mojo's lair. Mojo had of course been arrested and sent to a maximum security prison. That wasn't new, and he would probably break out eventually. When he did, the Puffs and Ruffs would be ready. Boomer and Butch especially seemed eager to kick Mojo's butt again next time they met in battle.

The Taser Blades that survived the carnage were locked away in a research facility and wouldn't be released until a cure had been found for them. It would take time, maybe years to fix them, and Blossom could only hope that once they returned to normal they would have a greater appreciation for life.

The media had been all over the story of the foiled world domination plan of course. It had been a great way to introduce the Rowdyruff Boys as reformed villains and future superheroes. The boys also seemed enthusiastic about their new role as protectors of Townsville. Their fervor was for different reasons of course. Boomer like being popular, and Butch liked beating people up. They kind of reminded Blossom of her sisters in that way.

The kids had decided they should change their superhero group name to The Utoniums since it was gender neutral. Already there were reporters who wanted to know all about them, and already Butch was arguing with Blossom on a regular basis about who got to answer the hotline.

Then there was the Gangreen Gang. Blossom made sure people knew the good deed they did for Townsville and how Ace had sacrificed his life to save the city. While the Rowdyruffs had been in the spotlight as new heroes however, the Gangreen Gang seemed to have slunk back off into the shadows once again. She hadn't really seen any of them since that day, and worse yet, Grubber hadn't contacted her once online. She tried to send messages to him, but he never replied. It made Blossom sad knowing her friend was suffering from such a big loss and she wasn't there to help him.

Blossom knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate on her homework with this weight on her mind. She had to find Grubber, but where would he go?

That was when Blossom realized that she knew exactly where Grubber would go to be alone, and she flew out the window to see if her hunch was correct.

Blossom flew to the city dump and looked around at the trash piles and old cars until she saw a familiar green shape. Grubber was sitting on a pile of rotten barnwood staring at a pile of freshly dumped garbage with his head in his hands. He was alone, so Blossom decided to touch down. Grubber didn't even notice she was there, so absorbed was he in whatever thoughts were running through his mind.

"Grubber?" Blossom called out softly to him.

The green man was startled by Blossom's arrival and flinched as he turned toward her. Blossom simpered, knowing she was disturbing him but not willing to let him suffer alone. She sat down carefully beside him on the rotten wood pile, and she was grateful for her bulletproof skin at this moment, otherwise she might've gotten a splinter or something.

"Hey, Grubber," Blossom started again, "How are you holding up?"

Grubber's lips quivered as snot came down his nose. His eyes couldn't cry, but his nose could. Before Blossom could process anything more, Grubber swiftly grabbed onto her and held her as tightly as a drowning man holds a lifesaver. His body was racked with silent sobs, and Blossom managed to regain her composure enough to pat his back. She felt bandages under his shirt, indicating he was still healing from the claw injury.

After a few minutes of Grubber hugging onto Blossom, he finally let her go and didn't even look at her. Blossom didn't know what to say in a moment like this. She was saved from having to figure it out however when Grubber took out his smartphone and started texting her.

Grubber: How did you find me?

Blossom: I remember you used to live here. I figured you'd want to go someplace that reminded you of happier times.

Grubber: You know me too well, dear Blossom.

Blossom: I'm so sorry for your loss. I know Ace was your friend for a long time.

Grubber: Indeed. He's not the first person I've lost. Heck, he's not even the first person I lost to a gunshot wound! Still, actually seeing it up close was shattering. Billy still sometimes asks where Ace is and when he's going to get better. He doesn't understand that Ace is never coming back.

Blossom: I have to ask, and I hope this isn't too personal but...why didn't you guys go back for Ace's body?

Grubber: We can't afford to bury him. If he isn't claimed then the city will deal with him. It isn't what we wanted, but it's all we can do.

Blossom: Oh...I'm so sorry. So...what are you guys going to do now?

Grubber: Funny you should ask. Arturo actually had a great idea. Since we finally have some positive street cred from saving the day Arturo thinks we should use the momentum to start a donation pool online. If we earn enough money, we can start a crisis shelter for runaway teens.

Blossom: Wow! Of all the things I expected you to say, that was definitely _not_ it!

Grubber: Well, we got to talking about it and we felt like if we'd had a place to go when we were kids then maybe we wouldn't have ended up homeless criminals. We want to give more at-risk children a chance to have a real future with a real chance at security. Honestly...I don't want another kid to end up like Ace if it can be helped. I loved my friend, but I will be the first to admit that he was broken and hardened by life. A bad home life can take a normal kid full of promise and hollow them out until there's nothing left. I wish we could have given him a funeral though. I wrote a poem for him that I wanted to read as a eulogy, but I guess I can't now.

Blossom: Um, you can't talk. How were you going to read a eulogy?

Grubber: Oh, you'd be surprised ;)

Blossom: Well...I'm here. I know this isn't a funeral exactly, but maybe you would feel better if you could express your feelings in an open setting. If you want to read Ace's eulogy, I'll listen.

Grubber: Really? But you didn't even like Ace.

Blossom: Maybe not, but I like you, and as your friend I want to support you :)

Grubber put his phone away in his pocket and smiled at Blossom, who smiled back. She was already on the verge of tears seeing Grubber trying to smile and make her feel better, and knowing everything that happened to bring them to this point. He walked away from the wood pile and stood on top of a plastic crate in front of Blossom. What he did next surprised her.

Grubber cleared his throat, put Ace's old pair of sunglasses on over his bulging eyes, and began to speak...in a perfect impression of Ace's voice.

Shades

By Grubber J. Gribberish

 _I see the world_

 _Through my shades_

 _But the world don't penetrate to see me_

 _I get to hide_

 _Behind my shades_

 _All the feelings that crash around inside of me_

 _Black reflections_

 _Of the sun_

 _Perverted like my twisted soul_

 _I could be smilin'_

 _I could be sneerin'_

 _I could be leerin'_

 _Through my shades_

 _I look real cool_

 _In my shades_

 _Like I already know everythin'_

 _My hesitation_

 _My worried expression_

 _You'll never see it_

 _Through my shades_

 _I look at you_

 _I see a friend_

 _I don't pretend_

 _I remove my shades_

 _World weary eyes_

 _Look back into yours_

 _Five of a kind_

 _No need for masks_

 _No need for bravado_

 _No need to hide_

 _Behind my shades_

 **The End**


End file.
